


How to mend two broken hearts.

by A_servant_of_Krishna



Category: Rockman Zero | Mega Man Zero, Rockman | Mega Man - All Media Types, Rockman.EXE | Mega Man Battle Network
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Forte is in chapter two., Forte's the same age as the adult, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Japanese name use because on one pun, My OTP is Radha-Krishna...But X and Zero are the second one., Mystery, Netto's spying on them, Pregnancy, Vaishnavism, Zero and X are mom and dad to the four guardiens., Zero as a woman is my favortie thing to write about., and fluff, but only for one chapter., evil scientist, he's obliviously a she in this story., it a vaishnava is not the same a Hinduism...were older., mama Zero, no, or I try to wrtie soemthing mysterious, quadruplets, someones is still alive, there's some humours, things get more interesting after the first chapter., yes - Freeform, yet another Hare Krishna story.
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:42:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 31,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27779308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_servant_of_Krishna/pseuds/A_servant_of_Krishna
Summary: Netto and Rockman gain eight new neighbours, a Family of Vaishnava. but what he didn't know was how those extraordinary people would change Electiopia forever. Same for Forte. X/Zero, Zero's the mom, their kids are the guardians and all have different names. Rated T save for chapter two...for childbirth.Cross-posted on FF.net.
Relationships: X/Zero (Rockman)
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

Did I just post yet another story on top of more stories?

yes...I did.

His divine Grace Abhay Caranaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder Acharia of the international society for Krishna consciousness (eat your heart out Dumbledor.) wanted us to flood the world with K.C books.

I hope he will be somewhat pleased with a handful of fanfictions.

Also, I'm not that well versed with the MmBt verse, I just thought Forte was underused and that...this would give me an opportunity to write about a very Pregnant Zero...like Rule 63 Zero.

Yes...X is there, and so are the four guardians. but their names have changed.

All glories to the Grihastas devotees who have entered family life in an attempt to bring down great souls to help purify the world.

* * *

One morning, something different happened in Dedene town...something that had nothing to do with internet shenanigans for a change.

A new family had moved in, taking the vacant house back to Netto's family home.

The young boy and his NetNavi Rockman were looking at the small moving truck parked in front of the two-story house. In front was a family van, on the front plate was 'Rd4 Krsn4'.

"Rada...Krsna..." Rockman read aloud, looking through Netto's binocular. "Is it the name of our new neighbours?" He asked his Netop.

"I don't know." Netto shrugged. "Mama mentioned it was a big family." He added.

He had tried to get out more from his mother, but Haruka had remained mum beyond those few details. She didn't seem to like the new neighbours...at all. Telling her son not to speak to them and not to get too close.

So obliviously, Netto was burning with curiosity, already planning how to make friends with them without Mama knowing.

The door of the van opened, and out came the family.

The Man of the house was not overly tall, but it was clear he was not weak. His eyes were unnatural bright green and there was a mark on his forehead and nose. He wore a T-shirt with a black face emoji…

Netto scrunches up his eyebrows. _'Is he racist? no...it's doesn't look like it...Wait' something's written….' "_ Jaya Ja-gan-na-tha." He murmured.

"Who's Jagannath?" Rockman asked.

"I don't know...maybe he's a character from overseas?"

"Maybe...I'll look for it the next time you plug me in the net."

Netto grunted as he continued his perusal. The man wore some very loose pants perfect for practicing Pilates and Yoga. He looked a bit younger then Netto's papa, and more glowing.

Netto hated to Admit, but his papa never really looked happy to be home. He always seemed a bit awkward around his son and his NetNavi...his other son.

Netto didn't why tough, and his papa made him swear never to Tell mama that Saito was Rockman...or Rockman would be gone forever.

So far, Mama didn't know anything.

The Jagannath man opened the door, letting more of his family out. Speaking to them with a bright smile.

Netto's eyes widened...that was not normal. The young man that came out was definitely in his early teen, maybe four years older than the young net saver. But what caught Netto's attention was his piercing red eyes and his ice-blue mullet…

No one had this type of hair and eyes, and he doubted dyes could give them this...natural-looking hair. And really, Netto had no idea a mullet could look this good.

He looked...anxious.

He wore black cotton pants and he wore a T-shirt with a lion on it...a very angry lion wearing a fancy helmet.

Then the rest of the children jumped out of the van along with their mother. One girl had green bobbed hair and wore a dungaree skirt over a gray shirt and ties. Another young girl, with long blue pig-tails and a mermaid back-pack, wore a long dress under a long blue shirt. Then two boys came out.

One had a flaming mohawk with a length of hair knotted in the back of his head, he wore an orange shirt depicting a woman sitting in the middle of four fire, her palm folded. The other young boy had a hairstyle closer to his father, he wore white-rimmed glasses, was as pale as a ghost and wore a dark blanket with rainbow-coloured patterns over a pair of white Indian pants.

"Netto...He looks so small and sick." Rockman stated as the waifish boy rubbed his chest. The fire one notices and began rubbing his back energetically… then, after...whatever had afflicted four-eyes had passed, both brothers hugged it out.

Netto pursed his lips...growing a bit jealous at how those two brothers shared a hug.

He clutched his PET closer…

The four children ruched to their mother, who seemed to be struggling to get out. The fifth and eldest one following at a more leisurely pace.

"I wonder what her hair colour will be." Rockman chirped.

"I bet it's rainbow-coloured!" Netto smiled humorously.

The Jagannath man rushed to his wife's aid, she was wearing flip-flops...and the bottom's of her feet were very, very red.

' _Oh...this must be why she has trouble getting out of the van._ ' He winced in sympathy for her.

Mister Jagannath reached inside, struggled for a bit, then helped his wife out.

The first thing Netto noticed was how pretty she was with her long blond braid elegantly braided...even if she was covered with a long nightgown that covered her body. But even covered, it was cleared she was very heavily pregnant.

She looked tired, her hands and feet were swollen, but she glowed with bliss that was not of this world.

She turned her deep ice-blue glance up at Netto and Rockman...and waved at them kindly. She was followed suit by her husband and her brood.

Netto awkwardly waved back.

Then her children began to ask for her attention, leading her to the vacant house, making sure she would be the first one to walk in. As she entered, they sang and danced, playing instruments like a two-headed drum. (mister Jagannath.) cymbals, (the ghost.) or just belting out a very repetitive but pleasant song.

_Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare_

_Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare._

Netto removed the binocular from his eyes and tried to mull over what he had just seen.

Then he went back to his spying. Now more than just a little curious about his crazy new neighbours.

Most of what happened was behind the walls, but it was clear they were dragging their mother in every single room, never stopping their song. In went on for fifteen-minute before they returned to the foyer, where they chanted more.

After that, Netto's mom called him down for diner. And from how tight her face was, it was clear her opinions of her new neighbour didn't improve at all. Especially when they began singing this beautiful song again from seven to seven-thirty.

As for Netto and Rockman?

They just wanted to know more, for after saving the net (and the world.) a few times, they wanted more adventure...and their intriguing neighbour was exactly what the doctor ordered.

' _Man...spying on people's...kind of fun! Now I know why Enzen's still into detective work.'_ Netto thought as he took his position again at his bedroom window, hidden by his curtain.

Usually, the gregarious boy would simply walk over and become friends with the intriguing children, they were very close to his age anyway. But his mother would come to know of it eventually, and she didn't approve of them...calling the cultist.

Netto had looked up what type of Cultist they were with Rockman...but came up empty-handed. There was no Cultist who would chant Hare Krishna like that.

And no, the mantra held no clues Either...except for this one website unavailable in his country.

Nevertheless, Netto's natural curiosity meant that he learned about them without the aid of the internet. Even if his brother cautioned him to not make spying on people a hobby.

They would sometimes see the four kids playing, and sometimes, he would see mister Jagannath and his ghostly son outside at sunrise, in nothing but red underwear, singing something under their breath as they poured water on the grass the rising sun. most of the time, it was just Ghost doing it...even as the weather got colder. He also loved to meditate outside in the shade, his hands shaking something in a bag.

Fire...the red one would usually wrestle with Emerald in their yard. Their mother would look at them with mild disapproval. But Netto could clearly see her fond smile as her dully chastised daughter would go back and sulk in her room.

The blue one...would rarely be seen in the yard, she was the one who would come came from the library with a bag filled with more books than a girl her size would carry. Once, on his way back from school, Netto had (literally) bump into her, causing sapphire to spill her books.

Those were all books on religion...the big one...the Torra, Hebrew text, and many different versions of the bible. There were also books on quantum Physic, and the newest scientific journal about atomic discoveries and how soon, humans could be transferred to the net.

"They don't have the complete information, and they turned me into a donkey...I'm bringing them back...My name's Lanvanga-Manjari Volnutt-Dei, by the way." she introduced herself with folded palms, not looking at the young boy in the eyes.

"I'm Hikari Netto, and this is, my NetNavi." He took his pet and woke up his digitized brother from his sleep mode.

Rockman rarely would enter this mode, a PET's battery able to last a full twenty hours on a single charge. Still, recently, the blue Navi was starting to feel...tired.

It made Netto worried...he would need to talk to his Papa about that.

"Oh, Hello!" The blue bomber waved happily at the blunette. "It's ah...the first time I see you."

Lavanga stared at the PET with clear disdain.

"Ah...something wrong."

"You...have a NetNavi." She stated.

"Yes...like everyone." Netto spoke carefully.

She kept looking at his PET, her expression was unreadable, but it was clear she didn't like it.

"Do...you have a Navi?" Netto asks as he began to walk toward the library.

"No...No one in my family has one, and no one want's one either."

"Why?" Netto asked, keeping Rockman's PET close to his chest.

This seemingly innocent question caused the mysterious blue-haired girl to turn to the twelve-year-old boy, her cold eyes now much older than they should.

"Kari Netto... you're too young for this truth."

"What do you mean? I'm twelve!" The young net saver sputtered. "I'm like...your age!"

"No...I'm eleven." she retorted.

"see. I'm older than you!" Netto crossed his arms over his chest impetuously. "I even saved the internet a few times...even the world!"

Lavanga scoffed. "Really? From what?"

"Let see, the WWW, Gospel, the life virus and Alpha." Netto proudly enumerated.

Lavanga gave him a hard look.

"Umm...M-miss Lavanga?" Rockman gained the mysterious girl's attention.

Lavanga seemed surprised that he could speak. "ah...yes….Rocketmanexe?"

In the PET, Rockman's cheek coloured. "Just Rockman...like...rock and man?"

"Sorry." it was Lavanga's turn to bashfully blush.

"Anyway, what Netto say's is true, we did save the net...and the world three times."

He didn't want to show it, but the experience had left Netto a bit more shaken than he'd let one...he'd almost lost Rockman...his brother.

"Oh..." Netto heard the girl in blue whisper. "I'm Sorry then..." She worried her lips. "Listen, Maybe I could tell you...but...it's better not. I just need to ask you something though."

"yes, what is it?" Netto asked.

"Not you, Rock man."

"Ah." Netto brought his PET up so that the internal camera would properly face Lavanga. The girl let her blue eyes linger.

"Tell me...how does your NetOp see you as?"

"As a brother," Rockman stated. "He's my Operator and I trust him with my very existence...just like he trusts me with his."

"Does he use you as a slave? A soulless machine?" She asked, once again, not looking like the eleven-year-old she was.

"No! Netto never used me like this!" He paused. "Except when it comes to waking him up in the morning..."

"Please, stay on the subject." Lavanga asked as she tried to fight back her smile. "And does he see you a soulless machine? Just some digital doll moved by a highly advance A.I?"

Rockman didn't need to think. "No! I'm his brother!" he exclaimed. "Netto never saw me like that, even from the first day. He's my brother!" he put a great amount of emphasis.

"So...you see him as a brother..." She narrowed her eyes, and Rockman, within the confine of the PET began to squirm under her cold gaze. then she smiled. "Great! And does he see other Navi's as persons with feelings and personalities?" She asked, stumping the small blue bomber.

"Um...but...aren't other NetNavi just...they're not just computer Programs, are they?" Even as he spoke those words, Netto knew those were wrong on a level that went deeper than his guts.

Forte...he didn't need a Netop...same as Serenade, and those Navis living in Uranet. They had emotions...human emotions…

they had feelings, and Forte's feeling...he felt betrayed. But he also seemed to more emotion than just rage, like this weird sort of friendship/rivalry/partnership vibe going on. And it was clear that over the time he'd knew Rockman and his NetOp, The independent Navi had developed this type of weird… affection...fondness for them?

No...Netto had no idea how to categorize Forte...

But the young NetSaver knew one thing though, the fact that Forte was so complicated was not programmable, it was too human. If he was just another program, then he would be simple and...he would not hate his father.

What to say of the other NetNavi his friend had.

suddenly, his stomach gave a loud roar, he was late from returning home, and he was _hungry._

This was enough to bring Netto down from his deep, philosophical thought and back onto the fact that he was still just a twelve-year-old boy with an ever-growing appetite.

Then he heard the same coming from Lavanga.

The young girl held her stomach, her face turning beet red. "Ah...sorry. I fasted yesterday and...I'm-"

"Hungry?"

"yeah..."

"Why did you fast," she was a bit chubby, but it was not too much as this girl from class e-7. "did your mom and dad-"

"Oh no!" she denied. "Yesterday was a sacred fasting day, and I decided to do it fully." Lavanga informed her new friend.

"Why?" Netto asked, completely at a loss as to why someone would willingly not eat anything for twenty-four-hour.

"Because I wanted to Make God Happy...Now come on, let's go find this library and go home, I'm starving." She spoke as if they didn't have an awfully deep conversation.

After a short adventure reaching the library, the two preteens came back to their respective house. Lavanga ended up not taking any book, stating that the place was no better than old catacombs.

On the way back, the two spoke more, and by the end of it, Netto and Rockman were eager to meet the rest of her siblings.

Also, they were all born at the same time.

There was Hari-Prya, the thin and tall tom-boy with the emerald green hair. She loved to fight with her other brother. Parta-Sharati, the boy with flaming red hair. He also loved to fight, but he also had a passion for music and Vedic ritual. He was also a good signer even with his changing voice.

Then there was Butheshvara, the sickly boy with the glasses.

He….had HBD...

But... His parent chose not to put him in the hospital while giving him false hope. Their mother and father had learned everything they could to help him managed those repeated heart attacks and so far...so far he was ten years older than what the doctors had predicted.

Then there was Prometheus, he was an adopted foster child. He had a sister, Pandora but...unfortunately, she did not survive the abuse her father piled on her.

"But don't feel sad," she assured Netto on the way back to their respective home. "Mom and dad have already given her a new body, she should be born next week at the latest."

"Ah...I see." Netto nodded. He knew his new neighbours were weird...but not 'So we've managed to do the impossible and adopt our abused foster brother whose sister committed suicide. meaning she's a ghost and because he was sad and made a bet against God, mom and dad contacted the demi-god who helps the ghost and now we have a new sibling on the way.' sorta oddly specific weird.

"S...So g-ghost do exist." Rockman shuddered.

Yes, his Navi had been part of the conversation too, something Netto thought only a few NetOp and his parent would do. And his friends...some of them.

"Of course they do." Lavanga brightly confirmed Rockman's worst fear. "You see when someone dies before his time, commits suicide or is too attached to either family, location or an object, he remains there until the Yamadutas come and take him to be judge by Yamaraja. then, depending on your good or bad Karma, you get sent to Hell or Heaven for some time before you take birth again." She explained as if this was common knowledge. "But most won't get a human form of life, they will be forced to take birth as animals. And right now, their practically no one who can reach heaven since nobody follows the rules and regulations of anything."

"But...Hell's a myth, right?" Science never managed to confirm it, and it sounded ridiculous to be sent there because you didn't do what the bible said.

Lavanga paused her stride and turned to the youth, her eye staking a knowing glow. "That's what They want you to think."

"Who?"

"The Atheist." she spoke simply. "Anyway, we're here now."

and indeed, they were in front of the Hikari's household.

"Well...I guess this is where we part." Netto spoke to...let's call her a new friend.

"yeah...Thank you for walking me back home Netto, Your not so bad for a stalker." Lavanga thanked him with a slight smirk. Making Netto blushed unhappily. "See you tomorrow?"

Netto raised his head, his eyes wide in surprise. "wait...you still want to hang out with me? Even if I'm…."

"Of course I want to!" The plump girl folded her palms. "I like you Netto, and I'm sure my whole family will adore you too!" then she started to bashfully play with her braids. "I mean...I'm surprised you didn't ditch me along the way since..." she scuffed the ground with her shoes. "I'm from a family of weirdos...and I'm the weirdest one so..."

"No your not!" Netto vehemently defended. "Sure, your family's different, but everything you do has a purpose." Then it was Netto's turn to look away shyly. "And...sure, half the stuff you told me doesn't make any sense...but, you're not a bad person, and you're pretty interesting. And I already know why Bhutesharva stands outside in his undies to pour water to the sun when it rises."

Lavanga stared at Netto. " You do?... How do you know?" she asked, and the NetSaver puffed his chest.

"Well, Every morning, your sick brother goes out in red underwear to pour water in front of the sun." Netto spoke as he rubbed his nose. "And I know from my research that there is a ritual for good health that involves chanting a Surya Mantra and offering water from a copper pot early in the morning for good health. And since it's clear your family are Hindu-"

"Were not Hindu!" Lavanga cooly interrupted. "Were Hare Krishna, Gaudia-Vaishnava!" she stated, mildly annoyed at the allegation. "Hinduism just empty Hodge-podge rituals!"

Netto raised his hand in front of him. "Gee, Sorry Lavanga, Won't make this mistake again, I promise."

Once again, the girl in Blue Blushed. "Oh, no...I'm the one who's sorry." She apologized. "Mom told me I had to be careful about my temper and all...Anyway, I have to go. I'll see you tomorrow I hope." She bid him farewell with folded palm, and Netto followed suit. "Hare Krishna."

"Hare Krishna." Netto repeated.

"Hare Krishna?" Rockman followed.

Then Lavanga skipped around the corner, back home to her loving mother and siblings. Leaving Netto to walk the few meters back to his own door.

As he was about to open the door, Rockman vibrated the PET. "Netto-kun...Mama activated the alarm system." He informed his NetOp.

Netto pressed his lips together... _' Mama's gone again.'_ He was his sour thought. _'She's with her friend...it's ok if Mama has a friend, I have friends also.'_ He rationalized...with his father working hard in Sci-lab, his mother was getting very lonely.

So she made this one...friend…

He squeezed his eyes shut...no, better not think about that.

When he walked into the house, only silence greeted him. And a note.

Mama had prepared his favourite curry and rice. He also had some pudding, fresh bread, steamed beans and had gotten the latest chip for Rockman.

He closed the door and walked in...as was usual.

No one was there to greet him...no one was there to demand he showed his report card or how it had been at school...no one was there to kiss him on the cheek or give him a warm embrace.

Suddenly, he was not hungry anymore.

* * *

The Next day, he tried to find Lavanga at school...without any success. Not even Miss Mariko or Enzen knew of her...or the rest of her siblings.

"They must be schooled then." The white-haired boy deduced.

"Homeschooled?" Netto repeated. "You mean… we don't _have_ to go to school every day?"

The heir of the Ijuuin family looked at Netto with barely concealed disappointment.

In other words, he was actually being nice about it.

Enzen cleared his throat. "No, some Family would rather not send their progeny to school and undertake their education in their own hands." He explained. "maybe it is due to the cost of transportation, the child having a disability in learning on the school bench or a different culture and religion."

Netto Opened his eyes wide, and Rockman spoke what was in his heart. "Oh, Lavanga told us her Family were Hare-Krishna." He chimed from his PET. "I didn't have time to research what religion it is, but one thing for sure, it's not Hinduism."

"Hmm...And why would that be?" Enzen asked...still looking at Netto.

Lavanga's words prodded the back of his memory...did Enzen considered Rockman a person, or a mere tool?

Never the less… Netto saw Rockman as his brother, and nothing would change that, not even death.

"She got mad at me when I called her a Hindu...and I don't think her family's from Bharata-varsa either." Her skin was pale, almost white, and her hair was...blue. And their names were Volute-Dei.

"Say, Enzen...is blue, red, and green natural hair colour?" Netto asked.

"No." Enzen deadpan. "No one can naturally have those types of colors."

"Lavanga and her family has." Netto revealed. "Even their adopted foster had this very light blue hair… and they didn't have...you know, a regrowth stripe?" he reached the top of his head and parted his hair. "Not like what you have."

The Ijuuin heir self-consciously touched his own. "...My roots are showing?"

Netto smirked and shoved the overly stylish young man. "Stop it, or the rumours will get worst."

Enzen huffed.

The bell rang, marking the end of the break and calling all the students to return to their benches. It was time to learn again.

Netto tried not to make a face...he knew it was needed if he wanted a good steady job, a wife, a car and a nice high-end computer for Rockman, his brother to play in, he needed to study and have good grades...even if math and history made no sense to him...and that papa was too busy maintaining the web to help his only surviving son and Netsaver with his piling homework and…

"Netto?" Enzen placed his right hand on his friend's and colleague's shoulder. "What's up with this face?"

"Nothing...let's go, don't want to be late again."

"Like this morning." Rockman piped up from his PET, his grin clearly heard.

Netto clicked his tongue and grabbed his school bag...maybe praying for a Net-incident to escape the next two hours of torture.

Finally, the bell rang, marking the end of the day. And Netto's brain felt as if it had tried to refolded it-self to fit in a star-shaped hole...the small one.

He had laid his head on the desk...for the last thirty minutes in class and didn't bother lifting it up when miss Mariko grounded him.

But what was most worrisome was how Rockman had also fallen into sleep mode… Again.

this definitely wasn't normal. Not for him anyway.

Not only that, but his virtualized brother would sometimes rub his chest...and he would sometimes...shiver as if from cold.

This was even less normal.

Fortunately, having saved the entire classroom a few times and the world, he was now free from all detention for life...unfortunately, he had missed the last part of the last lecture about algebra...something about infinity and the omega...and the variable X…

* * *

Netto groaned, his head was pounding. But the call of home...and hopefully his mother's presence spurred him to move.

His only saving grace of the day was the fact that he had no reports to bring back…

the path back home was devoid of anything interesting. Some of his peers had requested to net battle. Dex and Maylu (especially Maylu) had remained to talk with him about how he was doing at what was the deal with his new neighbours.

Unsurprisingly enough, none of them knew Hare-Krishna-ism...save for Yai.

As it turned out, this was indeed a cult with many temples, preaching centers, restaurants, echo-village hospitals, gate community, food relief efforts, cow sanctuary and other such ventures around the world. It was a somewhat known group that were mostly known for their street singing and chariot festivals around the globe...and their book distribution.

And their out-of-this-world yet strangely affordable vegetarian cuisine. Yai had added that, until you ate at a Govinda restaurant; you had no idea what real food tasted like.

But beyond that...they were as much of a treat and less annoying as the Jehovah's witness...and more palatable than the Scientologist. She still warned Netto and Rockman not to get too close to them, since it _was_ a cult.

"So...what should we do Rock?" The young boy asked his Navi, forgoing his usual skate and just taking in the cool air...and he wanted to speak to his Brother Rockman. "Our neighbours are cultists but...Lavanga seemed nice."

"Oh, did you just noticed a girl, Netto?" The Blue bomber teased.

"Ah...yeah. Why?" Netto asked, quite puzzled.

He noticed girls...like Maylu and Yai...they were actually very hard to not notice, especially when Maylu _absolutely_ wanted to talk to him about the latest dromance movie trailer she saw or about a new pair of cute shoes or how her shirts were getting tighter…

Netto made a mental note to buy her bigger shirts, maybe her parents were a bit short on Quarts...or Maybe Maylu needed to stop washing them in hot water and then tumble dry them.

...The reaction she had, had been hilarious when Netto told her that.

"Netto?"

"Ah! Sorry, Rocku...I got lost in thought." He apologized to his Navi. "Anyway...What do you think?"

Rockman shrugged, hiding a shiver again. "I don't know but… they seemed nice."

Netto grunted as he walked to his home, the door unlocking after reading his security tag.

"The alarms on." The blue Navi sadly informed his NetOp.

Netto grit his teeth... _'Mama was at her friend's place again...'_ It was the fifth time this week...And he was starting _to really_ miss her.

Sure, he'd seen her in the morning...and she'd send him an SMS about how he was doing and how she had made a pot roast with oven-baked potato and the like...and that she loved him and…

and that she would probably not be back from a town meeting. But Netto knew there was no such meeting scheduled.

"Why didn't she tell me?" Netto defectively whispered… his appetite gone, despite his breakfast and lunch a long time away.

Suddenly he heard the red guy, Lavanga's brother hollering from the back door of his home. "WHO'S HUNGRY?"

Netto and Rockman stared.

"WHO'S HUNGRY? _"_ He bellowed again, even louder this time...just like Netto's stomach.

" WHOSE HUNGRY?"

"I AM! _"_ Netto raised his hand...no use hiding it. For it had somehow returned with a vengeance at Partha's words.

Partha-Sharathi apparently knew how to teleport, for the next moment, he was in front of Netto, his warm, strong grip holding his hand like a vice as he pulled the preteen to open door to his home, going through Netto's open garden and shamelessly picking a few flowers from his mother's favourite plants.

"It's a Gift for God...you give him!" he addressed the somewhat older teen with a grin that went to his ears. Completely unrepentant.

"Ah...sure?"

He crossed to the Volnnut-Dei's yard, filled with toys and an old box… the name 'Dwarka' was written on it.

"C'mon! The offering's almost done and Prometheus's the one who cooked tonight." He happily chirped as he dragged the helpless Netto to the sliding door.

They entered the dining area, there was a small altar with a pair of dancing statues dress in blue and yellow. Partha made Netto remove his shoes. then he pulled his... new friend to the altar, made him bowed down in front of the picture of a black man wearing a flaming orange dress, an African hat of the same blazing colour, golden rimmed glasses and a bright, electric smile and then made him bowed down to Gaura-Nitai.

Netto could hear someone toiling in the kitchen, they were cleaning pots and pans.

He felt another pull."C'mon, give Sri-sri Gaura-Nitai your flowers!" he whisperer a bit harshly. And Netto did quite helplessly.

He heard Rockman chuckle at his awkward position.

"MOOOOOM, _"_ Partha hollered again. "I GOT A GUEST FOR-"

"Agni!" His mother scolded from her position on the couch...actually a mattress covered with a soft cloth and some long pillows. She wore a pair of black sweat pants and a red shirt that accentuated the critical mass that was her pregnant belly. She looked ruffle, she had been taking a nap with the ghostly kid."Please don't shout inside the house, you almost broke my waters." She spoke with a very pained look, her designed covered hand rubbing her fully bloomed abdomen. Beside her was Bhuteshvara...looked pale and worried. And annoyed, clearly having just woken up from a nap beside mummy and her tummy.

Agni gasped, his wide smile not showing any type of repentance. "Really?"

His mother sent him a withering glance...and withered he did. Then the bloated blonde turned her ice blue gazed toward Netto…

' _Her eyes are glowing.'_ She looked human...and yet she had this... quality to her…

It was hard to explain.

Oh, and a golden, Ų shaped mark on her forehead. Just like Bhuteshvara and Partha.

"Oh...I know you!" She spoke Kindly as she tried to get off the couch to greet him. "You are curious little neighbour!"

Netto blushed as he fixed his brown eyes to his feet. "S-Sorry I-"

"It's alright. My family's not an average one, so I get why you got curious." She smiled beatifically. "Now...please excuse my son for his enthusiasm...and I can't really stand and move right now..."

"Oblivious, she looked as if she fit very snugly in one of Dekao's shirt." Rockman whispered.

"Please, sit down and make yourself comfortable." she gestured to another floor couch. "Chikoo, can you please get him a glass of water?"

"Yes, Mama!" And with that, the frail child jumped off the couch and went to fetch what has been asked of him.

Suddenly, the ice-head teen peered from the kitchen. He took one glance and Netto, then he address Moiya. "Mom...oh!I was wondering when Parikshita would finally come over."

Netto looked at him with surprise, he'd never seen Prometheus smile in the week he had...spied on the household...and…

"I'm Netto...Not...Parikshit." The young boy groused.

Prometheus face twisted. " _Netto?_ What's with the people here giving their kids Network therm for names? Net? What else, we'll have one name A.I, Mail, Index...what else? Wi-fi? Bluetooth?"

Netto looked at the ice-et. "You're named Prometheus." He pointed out.

Prometheus crossed his arms. "It's the name of the Greek god who gave fire to humanity. it's ancient and heavy with history." He informed the preteen.

"Ah! Pappu! don't start with names!" Moiya warned. And Prometheus ducked his head low. "Sorry, Mom."

Moiya gave a soft smile. "It's alright, just watch your pride dear...and your stove."

At those words, Prometheus gasped and ran back to the kitchen.

"Parikshita was the name of a great King from ancient time." Moiya addressed Netto as she began to lovingly rub her belly, the young boy could see the babies move by the rippling of the skin. "It means 'He who inspect, watch, judge and seek." She winced a bit before her smile returned. "He...oof...He saw the Lord, Bhagavan Sri-Krishna in the womb of his mother as He saved him from a Brahmastra, an ancient nuclear warhead activated by sound, and after he was born, he began looking for Krishna everywhere." she explained as if this crazy story was factual and not mythological.

"Oh...I...I see." Netto murmured as he tried not to show what he thought of the crazy mother of many.

"My name is Maya, by the way. But everyone calls me Moiya. Chikoo's actual name is Bhuteshvara and the one who dragged you in is non-other Parta-Sharati...but I do believe you already know their names, do you?" She asked.

"Yes ma'am."Netto mumbled as he began taking his surrounding in.

The living room has painted the colour of a wheat field, the floor couch was burgundy and a soft Persian rug covered the floor. He could see the second-floor stair and the way to the basement. He could smell exotic spices, natural incense and fresh flowers. The television...or what could logically be considered a television was covered with a curtain. And there was a cabinet under with practically nothing on it.

Netto, for some odd reason, calculated that the cabinet was at the right height to let Bhuteshvara climb in it and easily reach the TV.

He could hear music playing from the rooms upstairs...like a church organ but not as intimidating. Pappu was in the kitchen, cooking and Bhuta was standing by Netto with a glass of water and some recovery chips. And Actual chips for him.

"Oh." Was all Netto could manage. He didn't hear the ghost-like boy at all.

"Here." he rasped. " I also got something for Rocketman."

"It's Rockman." Netto heard his Navi weakly protesting. And Bhuta's face turned red.

"Ah...I'm...I'm sorry I." he sputtered.

"It's fine...err...Your Bhuta, right?" Netto asked as he hoped the weak looking boy would not have an episode.

He looked so anxious.

"Ah...yes... Netto Prabhu." he bowed, once again, his movement more jittery than needed.

Netto raised a brow but did not say anything.

"Chikoo. where's your brother?" Moiya asked.

"Oh Paratha and the girls wanted to give a gift to Netto Prabhu but...they clean their room recently." Bhuta explained curtly. "he's still looking for it." he smirked, a twisting of the lips shared with his mother.

"Yes...I hope he will find it."

"Me too."

Netto just listened and watched the whole exchange between mother and son…. _'_ _I'm missing out.'_

Bhuta returned his attention to the seated preteen. "Is everything alright? Do you want anything else?' he asked. "You didn't drink the water! Is there something wrong?"

"No, I just...ah." Netto sputtered. "it's just my first time in a Hare-Krishna c...home and...um….there's a leaf in my cup?" he ventured. It was deep, greenish purled and…

Netto had heard rumours.

"Oh, that's a sacred Tulasi leaf." Moiya explained with a benign smile. "A Tulasi plant is also called sacred basil and Basilicum sanctum. It is, as the name imply, used in sacred ceremonies, she is also the favourite flower of the Lord, and Vishnu up to Krishna, He will not eat unless one of her leaves has touched the offering. It's not dangerous, unless eaten in an absurdly large dose, medicinal and no, it's not a drug. We heavily disapprove the use of intoxicant of all kind." She explained as Bhuta took shelter in her arms. "It's alright Chikoo, you just wanted to give him more mercy...just give them a Tulasi patra _after_ they got to know us better. Alright?"

If they wanted to drug him...the way Chik...Bhuta was reacting was the best way to ensure Netto would drink the water with the leaf...and drinking it he did.

His eyes grew wide!

"N...Netto!"

"Ah!" Netto exclaimed after the first gulp… "It's...It's...good!" Never in his life did the net saver expected to find plain old boring tap water delicious and quenching.

It tasted pure, and he could not detect the chlorine and other chemicals used to kill all the bacteria and would grow in the waterway. He drank the whole glass...and the leaf.

He trusted Rockman to catch on if something would be amiss.

After he drained the whole thing, Netto let out a sigh of pure bliss, he _had_ been thirsty and knew there were some fruit juice and cola in the fridge back at his home which was what he had been planning on drinking but.

That water was better.

"Thank you for the water Bhuta, It was great!" He thanked with all enthusiasm.

"Netto-kun...that was...was it really just water?" Rockman asked, his suspicion raised.

For their part, Moiya and Bhuteshwara starred at Netto. The mother of many turned to her son, now she was the one suspicious. Bhuta stared at her from behind his glasses, he looked as surprised by the reaction as his mother. Then he turned to Netto.

"Netto-Prabhu...Rockman-Prabhu...I just gave you purified water from a clay jug." he admitted. "I just never...is the water here that bad?" He asked, his ruddy eyes growing wide behind his glasses.

"it's alright, just with too much chlorine sometimes." Netto spoke as he put his glass down. "It was just really good! Like well water but...better!" He still remembered the well behind his grandfather's house and how pure and crisp it had tasted.

But..there was something else, not quite a taste, and it was not something...material…

Moiya smirked. "Well, it seems you are a connoisseur of Rasa then."

Netto stared at the blonde mother quizzically.

"It's a reference to one of our more important scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita. In which God said. 'Raso 'ham.' of 'I am the taste of pure water." she quoted as she rubbed her belly.

' _Right...she's a Hare Krishna Cultist...wait...'_ "Miss Moiya." Netto began. " you worship God?"

"Yes, we do." She readily admitted with great joy.

"It's Krishna, right?" Netto deduced as he made himself more comfortable.

"Yes, he is." Moiya answered with a smile. "Do you know what being God mean?" Moiya then asked, still rubbing her belly.

Netto rubbed his chin. "Umm...God means...the supreme controller?"

"Yes, and?"

"And...ah...well, the God I learned about was just this powerful light christens would call father...and sometimes he look like a burning bush or an old man but...other says He's just energy." Netto the brunette tried to explain. "But Dad told me it's just the human mind that came up with a superpower being that made everything." he rumbled…

way to make life even scarier and uncertain.

"It's quite confusing. Isn't it?" Moiya asked with a smile and a tilt of her head. "But for us, God is definitely more than just God. You see, Netto Prabhu. In our ancient scripture, God is described as the father, the mother, the son, the best friend, the Husband and the supreme lover. He had many names, but of all those Names, Krishna is the best, He is an eternally sixteen-year-old cowherd prince of Vrindavana, The friend of Subala and Sridhama Gopa, the darling son of King Nanda and-"

"Moiya...can we play with him now?" He heard a young girl from up the stair. She had green hair tied in pigtail and a red, triangular mark under her equally green eyes. She wore a green dungaree skirt over a black shirt and tights.

Moiya smiled kindly at her daughter. "Yes, you may. Netto Prabhu, meet my dear daughter. Hari-Priya."

"Oh...ah, Nice to meet you." Netto got off the couch and greeted Her. "I'm...ah..."

"Parikshita. Our stalker."

Once again, his cheek turned bright red.

"So...do you want to be our friend?" She suddenly asked, beside her, The red-headed Partha-Sharathi was looking at Netto with a huge grin and anticipation.

"Ah...sure?"

"Jaya!" Both kids cheered as they ran down the stairs and grabbed the twelve-year-old, dragging him to their room and apologizing about how they lost the present they had prepared for him and how they couldn't wait to show them their room and _wow_ Rockman looked so cool and powerful and…

Netto had to wonder if this was normal...and then he figured out that yes...those were still kids, and they just wanted to play with him like some normal kids.

Never the less, Moiya's two kids quickly piled him up with numerous questions. And numerous presents including a whole woollen blanket.

* * *

Playing with Moiya's kids was...different from playing with Dekao and Yai. There was no real competition, no showing of wealth, no hidden business talk and no empty boasting from Gutsman.

It was all for fun. And for the pleasure of Prata's pet rock apparently.

After the quadruplets had show Netto their rooms (They all slept on the floor on thin mattresses and didn't even have computers in their room. And no signs of their personal NetNavi either.) they had dragged Netto to the yard to wrestle…

It was _amazing!_ Painful, sure, but Netto didn't remember having this much fun with kids his age!

Sure...Dekao would fight with him, but the bigger boy would always win…

Also, he had no idea girl could wrestle. Hari-Priya was more of a boy than a girl.

But what was more astounding was how the Names of Krishna and Gauranga, of God, never stop from flowing from their lips. And in the end, when the sun was about to leave the horizon to sleep, Partha had told him a story about how God would wrestle with his friend every morning before breakfast. And how no one would win...or Krishna would win since mother Yashoda would always call them for breakfast at that time.

At the mention of breakfast, Netto's own stomach grumbled loudly...as were Hari-Priya and her brother's.

When they came into the home again, Netto met with mister Jagannath, or Ekachakra das, their loving father.

Lavanga was also there, she looked tired and somewhat bruised. But when asked what had happened, she waved it off as learning Tae kwon do and sucking at it.

He was a very kind man, and it was clear he loved his family immensely. He had even ruffled Netto's hair, mentioning how he would love to do the same to Rockman.

They had then eaten sitting on the ground, using their hands instead of utensils. Moiya had mercifully sent Partha to get Netto a spoon. But to be honest, while weird at first, the young net saver found it quite familiar and fun to eat with his hands, the creamy yellow mung soup over his rice was succulent, the flatbreads, Roti were buttered up and warm, and the bitter melon...stew was surprisingly good!

Mister Ekachakra...or Eka for short, had eaten first while Moiya served him and her progeny despite her heavy belly. All the while her husband _desperately_ tried to have her sit and eat.

"But Prabhu! I sat on my couch all day! _Please_ let me serve you."Maya begged, to which, her husband had to lovingly relent.

They all ate quickly, much to Netto's great surprise. He would've expected the Vaishnava family to eat their meal slowly, savouring every bite. But no, they took their food as if they were somewhat late for school.

And then, as they all rose up from their seats, they took their metal cups and plate before their mother could take them and ruched in the kitchen to clean them. Even Eka got up from the floor with a smirk and Moiya tried to wrestle his dirty plate from his hands.

Then she turned her glance at Netto... there was a...crazed glint dancing there.

"Please, oh auspicious and fortunate guest. Eat to your heart content, take your time...Is there anything else you would like?" she asked with a smile that his some...dare he say...madness?

"Uh..." All of Moiya's children leered at him, their father tried to hide his smile, and then there was the heavily pregnant mother who was suffering from cabin fever. and Netto knew that whatever he would say would have dire consequences.

"M...May I have...ah..."

"m...Moiya, can you show us where the bathroom is?"

This question, asked with a quivering voice, asked by none other than Rockman, broke up all tension, and the entire household burst into laughter. And after Moiya apologized for her behaviour, Netto probably had the best evening in his life.

They had then read from the Gita, then the family got their instrument out and began to play for the pleasure of Gaura-Nitai, God and his brother...also God.

And then came the Kirtana, they had chanted the Hare-Krishna Hymn until 8, at this time, Netto and Rockman begged to leave, citing that they had school the next day.

They were given a few more gifts (sweets mostly), another head ruffle from Ekachakra, and a warm motherly hug from Moiya and a formal invitation for supper the next day if his mother was still out. An invitation Netto gladly accepted.

And yes, Moiya had even hugged Rockman's pet, telling him that everything would work out fine and that were he in need, her home and server would always be open for him and his brother.

That night, after he had all but collapsed in bed, Netto dreamed of the family of seven…

they were...netnavis like he had never seen before.

Moiya wore a dark red long coat over a black and white NetNavi skin. A red and black finned helmet decorated with a triangular blue jewel covered her head and her long golden hair flowed freely from the back. But unlike the average Navi, she physically held a sword in her hands. And in her belly, two light shone.

She kind of looked like a demon, but her blue eyes shone with love and compassion like an angel.

Ekachakra looked astonishingly like Rockman. He had a round blue helmet decorated with a red gem, his Navi-skin was azure in colour and a pair of wings and a halo finished the look.

He held the thin waist of his wife protectively. His glowing green eyes gazing at the net saver with paternal love.

Netto reached his hands to the angel of mercy, he felt water running down his cheeks. Beside him, Saito did the same.

In front of them...were five Navi.

One held a scythe, his helmet resembled a skull, he wore dark red Indian pants over dark purple skin. The other one, the red one held two huge, toy-like guns and a pair of bulky epaulets that resembled a pair of jerrycans his helmet evoked that head of a dragon. The blue one looked like a cross between a fairy and a mermaid, she held a spear. Then their was...it had to be Hari-Priya.

She had the same red triangles on her cheeks.

Last but not least was a Ninja in black. He wore a white mask that made him look like an owl and…

and he held a golden tray filled with sweets, exotic fruits and a jug filled with water.

' _He Netto-Prabhu.'_ The ninja spoke with deep affection. _'You'll come again tomorrow, won't you?'_

Netto was about to answer when he heard his alarm...he was about to re-entered his dream when he realized that he had to wake up and go to school.

* * *

please leave a review...it helps for exposure.


	2. Chapter 2

Ah yes, this chapter is not really PG...it's even pushing it for teens. because I don;t think a breech birth would fit there.

I've put a warning. when you see it, just scroll down until you see the phrase 'Netto has it easy.' and you should me save.

And to my dear reviewer. I'm glad you caught on the red flags. for it is just the beginning, my friend. attache ta tuke, mon ami. sa va brasser raid!

* * *

In the coming days, Netto's Mama would still be with her friend in the evening. And when Netto had asked who it was Haruka had skirted the question by instead Asking for Netto's latest report card.

It was bad...as always. But at least it was a B-...on the second try.

It was not that Netto didn't try his best. He really did...but history and math... all seemed to corrupt once the subject matter entered his brain. He simply could not remember anything at all.

No that he cared about who was the fourth minister Electopia...and why the relationship with Bharata-Varsa was so bad or…

No...And please don;t let him get started on math.

And the homework he never seemed to catch up with since his duty as a net Saver would _always_ take precedent on his education.

Oh...he was not supposed to have homework...but Miss Mariko insisted that he had to have them since they didn't have the time to cover all the subjects during classes...since Netto was always distracted.

Thankfully since staying at the Volnutt-Dei in the evening, Netto and Rockman had discover that, while homeschooled, Moiya's children were actually very well educated, and thus, they would help him with his homework. Mostly Bhuta since it was clear he had taken a shine to both Netto and his Navi.

The sickly boy simply adored the heroic Duo...he simply did.

The rest of Moiya's children were also very friendly and open to Netto and Rockman. Including both twins in any conversation and assuring Rockman that one day, they would play with him.

Netto had also come to learn a bit more about their net Situation and why the were against the use of Netnavis. Once again, it had to do with their belief.

As Hare Krishna, they did not only believe in God, Krishna, but their entire world view differed greatly from the average man and woman. This included believing in celestial administrators in charge of every single aspect of life, from breathing, to blinking and to evacuating...among other vital processes including rain, the wind and fire. And those administrators, also called Demigods, semi-gods and aliens in modern vernacular were under the control of Vishnu, A.K.A god. But higher then Vishnu was Krishna.

They where the same, but different. Narayana (Vishnu) was the business face of God while Krishna was the 'At home with no care' form of the lord, or The Supreme personality of Godhead. Meaning that the Ultimate for of God was a bluish cowherd boy no older then sixteen who loved his mom and family, friends, cows, The forest of Vraja and all the inhabitant of the spiritual Sky.

Oh, and had plenty of girlfriends headed by Srimati-Radharani.

The other thing they believe in was the soul, and not just as an ill-defined substance in a person but as the actual persons.

The soul was the person, not the body. And the soul was sentient, had emotions and desires. Those would make the body move.

And since it was clear Navis were conscious… The last thing the Volnutt-Dei family wanted was to enslave another soul in their service.

Fair enough, Netto had thought. Not that he saw his brother as a slave, they were, as mentioned prior, Partners as good as brothers. And together, they protect the world wide web from treat like terrorism and petty thief.

Added to that was the numerous shady deals in the black market, illegal chips, a few terrorist cells and the like.

This was reported by General Craft. A veteran that had came out of retirement just to help out with the repent Cyber-crimes. His Navi was Elpizo…

No one liked him.

Rockman and Netto had taken note of the key point, given a few observation, same with Enzen, and finally, it was over…

Or...he fell asleep at the conference table, exhausted by his school day and the sadistic P.E teacher.

He just wanted to play soccer! Why did he have to stretch and activate for thirty-minute? It had made his heart pound do heard, he had feared it would've ripped out of his chest.

"Mister Hikari?"

"Netto?...ah?" it seemed even Rockman felt less then optimal. Having once again entered sleep mode.

Netto rubbed his eyes and ran a scan on his PET, still half-asleep. He didn't hear the general walk up to him, and only realized he was there when he put a meaty hand on his diminutive shoulder.

"Son...I know you want to help but, I think it would be better if you go home and call it a night. I'll send you whatever was worth remembering, got it?" The fatherly man spoke gently, and while he was known to be harsh with unruly one, he had taken a shine to Netto.

Netto nodded, it was almost twelve at night, and he had an exam the next day. (ugh!) He took his bag, salute the awesome general and walked out to the waiting driver. Not in the mood to protest.

Thirty-minute later, mister Gray woke Netto up...he was home.

"Do you think Mama came back from her friend's place?" Netto asked his digitized brother, the bitter note in his voice clear to his ear.

"I don't know Netto-kun...but the alarm's on again."

The young net saver sighed, making his way to the front door. Already, he knew the security system would not react to him and Rockman.

But as he was about to open the door to his empty house again. Something told him to...check on his neighbours.

' _It's almost midnight...I doubt anyone is awake…'_ Netto tried to wave off this feeling as he passes his bracelet to the front door. Then he stopped.

At the edge of his hearing...he could hear something, some scream coming from the basement of the Volnutt-Dei family.

"Netto?...w...what is that?" Rockman asked, his digitized voice shaking. "I...Is this a...Ghost?"

"I don't know...Let's check it out." Netto declared as he rolled away from his door and through the backyard, crossing the shared piece of property until they arrived at their sliding door.

There, they heard Moiya scream, she was clearly in a huge amount of pain...and in clear distress.

"That's not good..." Netto murmured. " Rockman, can you hack the door open?"

"No need, you know they never lock their door." Indeed, Netto's new friends were fearless when it came to thieves, telling that whatever they had had very little value, even their giant smart TV was an old refurbished model with a big crack running through the frame.

and indeed, there was a crack that implied something was getting in and out of the TV often.

The young net saver flung the door open.

The usually festive and bright house was dark, and surprisingly quiet all of a sudden.

"Partha! Bhuta! Lavanga!" He yelled. "Eka!"

Nothing, the house was quiet.

"Moiya! Moiya!" He tried instead. What was going on? And where was everyone?

Horrific tales of abuse and house invasion with tragic outcome moved to the forefront of his mind, being a popular subject for cheap T.V drama.

"H _ello? Hare Krishna?"_ he could hear Moiya's voice hoarse and weakened voice coming from the basement through an open door. And then a loud scream of pain. Netto didn't waste a moment of time, he all but tumbled down the stairs and into the basement of the Volnutt-Dei Family.

It was not as bad as he tough, it was a nice space with a bed, a computer station and a bathroom...and this was where Moiya's cry of pain and prayers to the lord could be heard.

"Netto...I think you...I think she may be giving birth." Rockman warned from his PET. "do you want me to call the hospital."

"Yes, please do." Netto nodded as he carefully approached the door, he could hear Moiya's pant and moan...

"H...Hare Krishna...Krishna...Netto? It that- _aargh!_ Is that y-you?"

" _Moiya!_ It's me and Rockman...he's contacting the hospi-"

"No….guh. No….It's...Communications are down." Moiya managed to choke out. "Cyberattack...Ah! I..."

Netto took his PET out. "Rockman!?"

"She right...I couldn't use the phone app, even in emergency." Rockman spoke with great worry, his whole body was trembling with anticipation. "Netto, I think I can reach the hospital server...but it will take some time."

Suddenly, Moiya let out a _howl_ of pain. Spurred by her distress, The young brunette wordlessly jacked-in, having found the Family computer. Then he returned to the bathroom and, listening to his brave heart, swung the door open.

What awaited him was a sight he'd never expected to see in his life.

* * *

-WARNING, WARNING, DESCRIPTION OF PARTLY BIRTHING AHEAD, BLOOD, GENITALS AND SOME GRAFFICK DESCRIPTION OF THOSE ITEMS TO BE EXPECTED!

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

PROCEED WITH CAUTION!

* * *

Moiya was sitting on the floor, the cold tiles were covered with absorbent paper soaked with amniotic fluid and her old clam-shell cell phone was within her reach, but clearly discarded. Moiya whore a simple white cotton dress already stained with sweat.

The woman in question was pale and dripping, the Tilaka (the forehead mark) was washed away and her Tulasi neck beads hung loosely on her heaving breast, she had tied her long mane of hair in a very messy pony-tail…

but...this was not the most terrifying this Netto had ever seen. It was the pair of _minuscule_ feet that dangled from her…

her…

her…

Netto knew what it was, Dekao, being a bit older had Sex-ed and had told him all about it in great details…

the whole reality of what was happening hit the preteen harder than a cannon ball.

There was a pair of baby feet hanging from her vagina…

It should be a head...not a pair of very small and _graying_ purple feet.

"N...Netto...Netto Prabhu..." Moiya gasped. "I...I can't push...you...I'm sorry...You have to…" she cried, helpless tears flowing from her eyes.

Netto didn't need to hear more, he went to the sink, removed his watch, glove and thoroughly washed his hands and nails. Then he returned to Moiya and her about-to-be-born, fearlessly kneeling between her legs, his hands gently grasping the oh so delicate feet of the baby.

' _They're so small...Krishna, she's your devotee...please, please don't make me break her.'_ He prayed to the god those Hare Krishna worshiped...it felt right in such a situation.

"P...Aha!" Moiya gasped. "P...Pull gently...with me...just...help...carefully..."

Netto nodded, once again praying that Rockman would be able to reach the hospital server without his help, being semi-autonomous.

' _Saito has it easy.'_ He thought as he gingerly pulled…

* * *

"Netto has it easy," Rockman mumbled to himself as he ran through cyberspace, deleting whatever virus had the misfortune to engage him.

The blue bomber didn't have time for this, he had to reach the hospital server as soon as possible. Otherwise…

someone would not make it out alive.

The Web was quiet at this time of night, only some Navi's would roam the darkened Cyber alley looking for open chat programs. The only one Rockman had to worry about was his rival, Forte, and the black and gold Navi had been missing in action since the Alpha incident.

' _I hope he survived somehow.'_ Rockman had grown fond of the jaded Navi, even if they were supposed to be rivals, he chose to see it as Forte's inability to call anyone a friend.

After learning of his past, Netto and Rockman had vowed that the next time they would meet him, they would invite the dark navi to stay in their personal network, as long as he stopped attacking others.

Of course, this was illegal...but Forte was a friend...and maybe, just maybe he needed to be in a better place, with people that cared about him.

Even his Mama said it was a good idea.

...this had been before Alpha swallowed him.

Sure, it may have been his fault, falling for Lord Wily's trap but...it was hard not to feel bad for him.

' _Why am I thinking about Forte now!'_ Rockman scowled. _'I need to focus...I need to reach the sea-side hospital as soon as possible.'_

To be honest, ever since this morning, his head felt foggy… So the whole endeavour was harder than it should be for the now experience blue Navi.

he had done a virus scan, cleared his cash and did _everything_ in his power to restore himself to optimal...but it did very little.

Rockman remembered what his papa had told him after he had gotten him out of the safe room...

' _ **Saito...You're not a Navi like any other, your core's human and...It may fail.' Those were his words, spoken gravely from his Papa...Saito...Rockman had no idea a Navi could have a human core...but this would explain why he and his brother could synchronize perfectly.**_

_**He was Saito...and he used to be human...a fragile human turned Navi. And he had managed to return from deletion.** _

But it was clear there would be consequences, consequences only he and his brother were privies too...once again, Mama was not supposed to know of it...not ever.

' _Please don't fail me now core...not when two lives are at risk.'_ Rockman prayed as he desperately ran, fighting through dizziness and shortness of breath.

Navis didn't need to breathe, they didn't have blood and...and why did he have a headache? Why was it so hard to focus? Why was the ground feeling like...like…

cotton? no...water?

He tripped on his own feet...his head hurt, his chest hurt…

it hurt.

"Papa...It hurt!" Rockman painfully wheezed as he tried to catch his bearings…

what was happening to him…?what was happening to him? He was feeling fine...just a few moments ago…

' _Oh no…'_

the hospital...he had to get...the hospital.

Moiya's baby...she needed help…

He managed to find his feet, and after selecting a giga recovery chip, resumed his trek to the tree of life server.

He ran, stumbled really…. running away from fights...he didn't have time.

His time was up for real...he just hoped his brother...he brother could forgive him...and… go to school… and take care of Mama...

Somehow or other reached the hospital domain, the main Data-pathway was clogged with programs trying to call the emergency department. Having the same idea as Saito...

Thankfully, he knew where the back door was, and thus Rockman resumed his run, now no better than a limp.

His lungs were on fire, he could barely take in any air.

He felt as if he was drowning.

He felt so sick…

He put his hand to his knees and tried to catch his breath...but he only managed to attract the attention of a few viruses.

Rockman tried to get up and manifest his Buster….but his vision swam.

Suddenly, those powerful viruses were deleted by a barrage of familiar purple shots.

"Ah! So we meet again." He heard a familiar voice...one he had never thought he would hear again.

A voice he had hoped and dreaded to hear.

He reopened his eyes...and indeed, it was Forte.

The dark reploid sneered, he radiated with the type of power that went beyond what a normal Navi should carry...or Rockman somehow managed to get even weaker.

The capped herald of darkness sneered at Rockman's pathetic sight. "What the hell's wrong with you Rokku? You look like you about to keel over." He got his buster out. "Mind if I help you?" he gave a maddened grin.

"Y….Yes…" He wheezed, his lungs...something a Navi should not have, were burning, and he felt as if he was trying to breathe through a clogged straw. "F...Forte...Forte…" He gasped, falling to his knees clutching his chest as a frightfully familiar pain pierced his heart.

He didn't know when he felt it...but he knew it wasn't good.

Everything went dark...his water was cold.

it was too cold...it was to cold...

his chest hurts...everything hurt...everything burnt...

"Rock? ROCKMAN!?"

"G...Huh…" His vision swam...he could only see darkness...something was in his throat...no air came in...Papa outside….speaking to Saito, his left hand hurt...his chest hurt…

was he dying?

It felt like dying.

Was he dying again? It felt like it.

The image of Moiya struggling to give birth...the same blond woman gray and pale, and her baby no better...Netto crying...another failure.

He gritted his teeth and got up, somebody was helping him...it was Forte…

"Rockman?" The usually sadistic Navi looked at Rockman with confusion and fear. It was so different from his usual sneer.

He shook his head… "I had...I glitch." He wheezed. "I...I'm fine…" He pushed himself away from Forte and resumed his buster.

He was a Navi...Navi's didn't need to breathe...they didn't get sick…

He was not a boy...he was not Saito...he was Rockman…

Saito was dead...and he needed to get Moiya's help before his core burst.

He had to save his little brother from the trauma of failing to save three lives...he may no be present for the rest of his life...but Netto was strong…

He had to be strong…

' _Oh Krishna...Oh God….please...protect my brother...'_

He reopened his eyes…

At least….atleast he got to See Forte one last time...best would've been either Blue or Roll.

"You...survived Alpha." He managed to convey with a smile. " That's good."

"Rokku." Forte reached out to the blue bomber, clearly confused and terrified at the sight.

"Netto and I...we were worried." His lungs...no...he had no lungs, he was a Navi…

They were not filling with water...and his blood was not staining the water red.

He was not freezing...he was not choking…

this was just an illusion...and Papa was not looking at him sometimes, his face impassive.

* * *

Forte stared, this was definitely not as he had envisioned his encounter with Rockman, the new king of Uranet apparently.

He had heard rumours that the kid had managed to defeat the mercy-freak. Taking the title for himself.

First of all, this title belonged to Forte, and second...he was way too young to be a king, he would probably change the landscape to be something as stupid as a soccer or anime theme.

Kids these days.

But at the moment, his blue rivals looked no stronger than a dying metaur.

No...A dying metaur was not a good compassion since those weak viruses would simply poof out of existence once hit...Rockman looked ghost-like, his skin translucent, his eyes dulled with pain and…

and he acted like a dying human...he was _breathing shallowly._

Forte didn't breathe, and he never managed to choke anyone yet, only to break their neck… _' This is wrong...this is so wrong.'_ He thought in panic.

In the privacy of his mind, the dark Navi was scared beyond belief…

Rockman began to walk further, his movement stiff and mechanical...he walked past the terrified Forte like a wraith...or one of those zombies kids seemed to like.

he didn't want his rival to die like that. Rockman deserved better the randomly dropping dead on the way to the tree of life. He deserved better than dying like a human.

He deserved to die fighting a powerful opponent, and this opponent was Forte and no one else.

Rockman didn't even react as he slowly but surely made his way to the backdoor entrance of the hospital server. But to be honest, Forte would rather he go through the front door. Even with the bottleneck and the backlog of programs and call for help clogging the way in.

the programs there must not be so busy with the panicked Navi as to ignore _Rockman_ in his time of need. Let alone Forte.

He knew he wouldn't.

He turned his sight to Rockman… he looked awfully focused on the road ahead. Clearly fighting to even walk through a pain a Navi never should have.

"Rokku?" Forte asked, glad that no one was around to see him in his panicked state.

He had a reputation to maintain...a dying Rockman or not.

Nothing… The Heroic blue Navi was completely silent.

"Rokku?" Forte tried again, hating how weak and unsure he sounded.

This was not normal...this was not normal at all.

He had heard rumours that Netto was made by Netto's dad...and other rumours said that Doc Hikari had done some...very unethical thing to get a Navi that strong that could synchronize with his Son.

' _After this...I need to hack into sci-lab and see what the hell doc Yuchiro did to him…'_ He resolved as he slung his arms around Rockman, helping him to walk and deleting whatever viruses were stupid enough to engage the herald of darkness.

Now so close and in a 'peaceful' situation, Forte could appreciate just how...small and thin Rockman was compared to him.

He...looked like a child. A sick one...

Rockman didn't speak...and Forte doubted the dying Navi was even aware of his surrounding.

He felt sick to the core...this...this wasn't Rockman...Rockman was not that weak, Rockman was not dying. He was a God among Navi! And nothing short of Forte had the right to destroy him in an epic battle to the death!

Not...not like this!

But... there were still outside circumstances, Rokku was not as free as Forte would've liked, and his Net-Saver was...well, he had his moment's of intelligence, especially in battle but...

"Rockman, did you dumb net-op jacked in a hot-chip?" He asked. Referring to the counterfeited chip ridden with bugs and problems.

"...no…" The blue bomber wheezed. He could still speak...but the whole endeavour seemed too hard for the blue Navi.

Forte clenched his jaw, the fact that Rockman didn't react to his insult to his Net-op didn't bode well. "Did he downloaded a shifty skin from those back-alley websites?"

"N...no...no…" Rockman managed to shake his head. Giving some hope to Forte that all was not lost.

"Did he opened a dangerous link in his spam folder? Downloaded a game ROM? An emulator?"

Once again, Rockman weakly shook his head, holding his chest…. His legs stilled by the pain. And then, he fell with a week gasp…

Forte held him close lowering Rockman to the ground yet still holding him.

This...this couldn't be happening...Rockman's power was above and beyond himself and Serenade, even Alpha was no match for the combined might of Rockman and Netto.

And Serenade would always speak highly about the two and how they were God sent Net-protector.

Now...Forte had no idea if he should be mad that he'd been defeated by a glitchy and unstable Navi and his snotty brat over and over again. Or if he should be sad and empty since the only other powerful Navi in the world was about to be...to be…

"F...Forte…" Rockman Gasped reached up...and grabbed his cloth. "It...It Hurt…" He sobbed. "It hurt...papa...papa…" He squeezed his eyes shut as his legs weakly trashed, his whole body shaking from the pain.

Navis never felt pain from the inside, and they could turn it off to fight more efficiently.

Of course, a strong enough hit would still hurt and stun them. But nothing inside a Navi should cause him this much pain.

"Fort...rr.. tha...Argh." Rockman _whimpered._

Quite spontaneously, The black navi wrapped his arms around the much smaller one.

He had been designed and programmed to be an ever, self-updating security testing program, a Navi that could think and act upon his own decisions, and a Navi that had no level cap and no limit to what he could do. He was by nature fearless and careless but those weaker than him, especially those who held the taint of Cossack's treacherous print.

In other words, he was as good as God here. The dark god even Gospel had bowed to him.

He'd thought that until he met.

His goal of life had been nebulous before that, just to become stronger, to be the most feared and to destroy all of humanity. Then his Goal shifted to kill Rockman.

Right now...something more powerful than Rockman and Forte combined had brought the otherworldly powerful Navi to his knees. And it was now killing him…

Something other than Forte was deleting Rockman…

This was unacceptable!

Rockman gave a jolt, his 'breathing' program freezing, his lips turned a peculiar shade of blue and…

His form unravelled, the binaries making up Rockman's body breaking apart as his source code…

He reached to Rockman's emblem and grabbed it before it could dissolve.

" _ABILITY GET!"_

Not in his watch.

* * *

back at the Volnutt-Dei home, everything was quiet. All lights were off and his wife was still probably sleeping in the basement with their two new bundles of joy.

' _And I missed it...curse you cyber-peacock.'_ Ekachakra das internally grumbled. He had been with his young wife when she gave birth to their quadruplets...and he had been there when their first child failed to breathe. But Alas, his Maya had been amendment that he go and offer his support to the Netopien cyber-force.

Some of them were too young for the Job...but then, most of his God-given progeny were already proficient warriors at twelve. Still, Papa-1 would make sure they didn't have to face international threats until he knew they were above sixteen and able to defeat him more than once.

Never the less...two more souls were now under his protection. He had two more God-given babies…

A pair of Baby girls, if his mother was right.

He exited the TV set and retracted his blue cyber-armour by tapping his chest insignia twice. Sighing in relief at the cumbersome wing disappeared as data. Behind him, his children, tired by the long and arduous night also emerged from the Net, yawning and blearily performing the same action their father had performed.

In their armour, they looked like teens, trained warriors, but once out.

Those Amazing and eternally liberated souls would resume their roles as his dear children sent by God to save the world. His Kids...his Babies.

"Papa…" His little mermaid asked as she slid her ice spear under the couch. "Can we sleep in today?"

The other four Cyber-guardians echoed his youngest sentiment, they were bruised, exhausted and just about to drop where they stood.

Ekachakra looked at his brood with equal part pride, love and relief. This had been their first major cyber-attack. And they had all performed admirably.

"Ekachakra-Prabhu." Prometheus approached his adopted father, his whole body shaking. "You...something happened. Didn't it?" He asked, his voice quivering.

He was still in his armour, looking like the eponymous grim-reaper with his scythe. And yet, his red pin pricked eyes have held a vulnerability only a child who suffered from abuse could have.

And hope...real hope.

Ekachakra took a few steps toward his adopted son and held his shoulder. A smile on his face.

"Pitha?" Partha-sharati asked, his voice sweet and curious. "Pitha...did...did mama."

An air of anticipation filled the living room. All had the feeling they knew what happened tonight.

"Prometheus...Moiya gave birth." Plenty of gasps filled the room. "I wanted to stay with her, but she told me to follow you and make sure you would all return in one piece," he revealed to his saintly children.

They all gained a deep look of worry and outrage.(save for Prometheus who practically collapsed to the ground, his joy too great to contain.) "Dad! How could you?" Hari-Pryia stared at him aghast. "Mommy's tummy was holding _twin!_ It's like _twice as dangerous!"_

"Don't worry Pryia-ji. Moiya gave birth to you four without any assistance, I was just here to hold the towels." It had been the most stress-inducing and humbling experience in his life.

As in, he could provide and maintain Krishna's devotees by his work. But he had been of no use, just awkwardly standing in the sideline as the love of this life screamed as she gave birth to quadruplets at her father's home, his dad in law out on a preaching trip with his dear wife.

He came back to the greatest surprise parents could have.

"Papa…" Bhutheshvara's quiet voice broke his happy thought. "The back door's wide open…"

Spontaneously, Ekachakra took shelter of Lord Narashima-deva, the protector form of God.

Wordlessly, the Vaishnava family made their way to the basement, Ekachakra das could smell the distinct aroma or after birth.

It wasn't so bad...but there was the coppery smell of blood that stung all of their hypersensitive noses.

A side effect of being in cyber-space for a few hours.

"Oh ew...I hope I won't smell that bad when I make you a grand-papa, papa." Lavanga piped up from somewhere in the back.

It was almost enough to break the tension...but what really shattered it was when he caught sight of the little neighbour passed out on his couch. His PET was hooked to the family's Net-Gateway, the screen black, Ekachakra's glorious wife was beside him, and two bundles of Krishna's mercy were beside her… swaddled in…

Pink.

' _Oh Krishna! More precious princess'_ He felt as if he was still floating in cyberspace...he had a new pair of baby girl to spoil and raised to Krishna's lotus feet again.

His joy was beyond words.

"What's Parikshita doing here?" Prometheus asked.

"You can ask him after you remove your armour Prahlad." Ekachakra reminded his other son, who did so as quietly as possible.

Lavanga and Hari-Pryia gasped at the sights of the newborn, cooing and fretting about how small and adorable they were. While Bhuteshwara and Partha-Sharathi were busying themselves with cleaning the mess the birth had generated.

Ekachakra took the time to take the scene in...this…

Was God's grace made manifest. Even if one of his sons had a fragile heart and one daughter's destiny did not include a husband and children, and even if his 'Job' was really but pro-bono work, Ekachakra never felt as satisfied with his life as of now.

As he kneeled beside his slumbering wife, new responsibilities and his -son- Brave neighbour, he offered in charity, trough the power of his mind, ten million cows covered with gold and silk blanket, thousand of hills made of grains and sweets and millions upon millions of obeisances to the Vaishnava devotees of the Lord.

' _Tomo...ah, yes, tomorrow, I will go to the temple and ask everyone to bless my two girls.'_ He had two more girls to take care of…

Oh...he would...he would…

"Hmm? Prabhu? Pappu?" Moiya groggily asked, awakened by the blissful shaking of her husband. "W...what time is it?"

"It's almost five in the morning...Oh Moiya, they're beautiful." Ekachakra whispered out as he gazed at the now serene face of the two new-born.

"Yeah...almost didn't make it."

All the blood in Ekachakra's body froze...as were his two older girls.

"Don't worry. Bhagavan sent Parikshita...he pulled Croire out…" Maya mumbled as she held her husband's shaking hand. "His mom'll kill me...but I think I'll survive."

She heard her now eldest daughter gasp. "Mom! Another man saw your _yoni._ " Hari-Pryia spoke with a flustered face., her cheeks so red the marks under her eyes were practically indistinguishable.

"Girls, sometimes, you have to be practical about some things," Maya instructed. "If I would've followed Shastra, then chances are that Croire and Pandora would be dead...again." She huffed. "I Swear, I gave birth to you four without any trouble. Painful as hell and it took the whole day...but you all came out without a hitch. Now I gave birth to just two tiny girls…" She yawned. "urhg...that's Krishna teaching me not to get cocky, isn't He?"

At her small, post-natal rent, Eka fondly kissed his wife. "Just rest...you did God Mama."

"Mother Maya...may I." Prometheus shyly began to ask, his gaze never leaving the two bundles newborn as he wrung his hands. "May I hold Pandora?"

Moiya smiled kindly at her adopted son...he came from so far, but he was now shaping up to be a Vaishnava gentleman. "Of course you may, Pappu. I'm sure your sister missed you...but don't neglect Croire tough...I think...oh Krishna, I forgot who was who."

Prometheus smiled, he knew his sister. He went to pick up the little bundle. the one with red birthmark on her forehead., the same one that had been tattooed on his own a decade ago…. The small family could hear his sniffing and holding his sobs as he held onto his reborn sister.

At that moment, only two people had dried eyes...

Bhuteshvara and Partha returned from having discarded the bio-waste to be burned. The frail child looked worried, especially when he glanced at Netto and his PET.

"Mama...Did Netto Prabhu called-" Bhuteshwara started before he stopped himself. "No...he couldn't...not even mama could since, the terrorist took down all form of radio based comunication." he deduced, behind him, Partha took a picture of the still jubilant Prometheus and blinked owlishly.

"But how 'bout Rock?" He asked. "Rock can travel through the web, don't you think his brother would've sent him out to get an ambulance?"

"He did." Moiya nodded, her face showing deep concern for her second Neighbor. "Eka, what time is it?"

"It's almost five Maya," he replied, feeling his stomach drop to the bottom of his feet.

A look of horror twisted Maya's features. "Oh no, Netto send him out at midnight...No ambulance came." tears filled her eyes as she covered her mouth.

Bhuteshwara rushed to their home terminal and took the PET, booting it out of sleep mode.

"M...Moiya." he choked out as tears fell from his reddish eyes. "It's...Rockman's...the PET's empty." he began to sob gently as he clutched the cold machine in his hands. _"Rocku's…_ "

"He's gone...isn't he?" Netto suddenly spoke up from the couch. He looked sad...but not surprised. "No...he's not gone...I know he's not gone…" he got up, shaking. "I...I can still feel him...I can still feel Saito…" he gasped as he grabbed his heart, his face pale. "S...Saito…"

Prometheus took his two new sisters away, unwilling to go through this type of drama again.

The Volnutt-Dei all surrounded the traumatized young man, sharing his pain and praying for the soul of his twin to find shelter at the lotus feet of Sri-Sri Gaura-Nitai.

* * *

meanwhile, just as the sun had climbed halfway over the horizon, Haruka finally arrived home. Pulling the car to the curb…

Well no, it was a self-driving car. The drive back to her abode gave her ample opportunity to catch back on her sleep.

She stirred from the spacious back seat. The night had been as crazy as Serenade, Lumine and Mamoru had warned her about.

She was about to get out of the car when she saw none other than one of her crazy neighbors forlornly sitting on her front porch. It was the rarely seen man. His skin was darker than an European and his face handsome. His right hand was in a colourful bag while the other held his face. It was clear he was sleeping in broad daylight.

On, her. Front. Porch.

Now fully awake, Haruka got out of the car and stalked toward the next door cultist, unwilling to risk having her son come in contact with this...this...terrible person.

She stood as close as she dared to the sleeping brunette, taking her time to that, despite what he was following, he was not a scientist stuck in the lab and hunched over a computer screen all day but a man who clearly worked out.

His skin had a healthy, almost otherworldly glow, his hair was full and dark and…

' _No Haruka, Yuishiro may be a bit too close to his_ _secretary_ _, but it doesn't mean you have to start running after another man, mom and dadtaught you better than that.'_ Besides, he was a Hare Krishna...and he was married.

She had vowed that she would never take a husband away from his wife.

It was a pain she never wished on her worst enemies.

Still, Haruka could still...look.

Suddenly, the handsome man stirred awake. "K...Krishna Krishna Hare hare...Uh…" He wiped his mouth. "He Bhagavan...sorry about that."

Haruka raised a brow...and cleared her throat. Her neighbour noticed and immediately got to his feet.

"Oh, Madam Hikari." he bowed. And Haruka could not help but notice how...drawn and tired he looked. "My name's Ekachakra das, Your son is safe, he's staying at our home...don't get mad at him, he's actually a good friend to our kids and…" He drew his hand through his hair. His voice was...not terribly deep, it was very soft and pleasing to hear.

Then she remembered seeing him singing with the other cultist down-town. The city had tried to stop them, but they were under the protection of the Bharata-varsa consul...not only that but having them all arrested only seemed to give them more enthusiasm.

"what happened?" She asked, now more on guard than ever.

Dedene town had suffered from yet another Cyber-attack...and her son always seemed to either get into a life or death situation or forced to get into something much bigger them him.

He was only eleven, for crying out loud, and already, he went through more than what any mand went through. Including being radiated.

They were still holding their breath on that one, there was no way a human could survive this level of radiation.

Ekachakra took a breath with a slight smile on his lips. "He saved my wife and two newborns...I'll be able to tell you the detail, but my Family now consider your Netto a hero and own him a great debt."

"Oh...that's..nice." Great...just great. This was the last thing she wanted her only surviving son to have. For all she knew, her baby (and his digital brother.) was being slowly and methodically brainwashed to become a slave to one of Ekachakra's daughters...maybe even both.

"But...something happened last night…" Ekachakra lowered his eyes...and deep dread gripped Haruka throat and spine.

"your son...He lost his Navi-Brother."Ekachakra spoke regretfully. "He sent Rockman to get an ambulance since all communications were down." He lowered his eyes, his pleasing voice growing quiet. "He...Rockman never returned to his PET… We're sorry it had to be like this."

Tears fell from Haruka's bright green eyes… Rockman...Saito…

"Madam...I think you should come with me. My house is just behind yours and...and we're preparing a memorial for your Digital son." Ekachakra extends the grim invitation. "Netto… he needs his mother right now. He can't accept that his brother has passed away."

"And if I follow you, will you brainwash me too?" Haruka asked, ready to call her friend if anything weird was about to happen.

A humorous smile that was equally sad tugged at Ekachakra's lips. "Well...it depend on what you mean by that. But now, we just want to give a proper send-off to your second brave son."

"Alright...But I warn you, if you tried anything weird or if I find the water strange-"

"you will call your friend?" The family man asked with a very knowing tone that matched his smile.

"Yes."

"Good, I would love to meet the ones who keep you away from your son all night." Ekachakra mildly scowled her with a smile. "My children have been helping him with his schoolwork while you and your husband are away."

Haruka felt the jab, and she flinched.

Yes, she knew she had been absent from her sons' life more than she would like...but it was for their own good. His own good.

"Come...he's waiting for you."

The walk to the Volnutt Family home was quiet save for Haruka's questions. But it seemed that Mister Ekachakra had already told her all he knew. As for why he and his children were not present for the birth?

Mister Ekachakra happened to be a technician at the sea-side hospital, specializing in ransom-ware eradication. And with the cyber-terrorist attack yesterday, he had his hands full, and his progeny had visited papa at work...and ended up staying there as he prevented the hospital from having their vital system locked and corrupted.

It…made a scary amount of sense.

Finally, they arrived at his home. And if Haruka would be honest with herself, it was even more cozy and homey than her own house.

She could smell the natural incense and fresh flowers. The walls were decorated with framed filled with indie prints of a blue boy playing the flute, herding his cows and dancing with a girl with golden skin. But under all this, her nose could pick up the distinct smell of off…

it was clear someone had given birth here…

"Please forgive me for the smell. We didn't have the time to clean everything thoroughly." Ekachakra apologized as he removed his shoes.

"It's fine...I just want to see my-" she heard a gasp, raising her head Haruka saw one of Ekachakra's girls, the one with the blue hair.

Now under scrutiny, she could clearly see that it was indeed her natural hair colour, for even her browns the hair on her arms held the same hue.

She grabbed Haruka's wrist. "Your Netto and ...and Rockman's Mama!" She deduced, her grip surprisingly strong for her size. "Please...Netto needs you." And thus, barely having the time to but the slipper, Haruka was dragged deeper in the cultist's home.

Nothing seemed amiss... there was a nice atmosphere filled with love and...and the whole place was presently clean.

Soon enough, she saw her only surviving son sitting beside another youth with an ice blue mullet.

Upon closer inspection, Haruka realized that all of the Volnutt kids….saved the blue girl were fast asleep on the couch, her son was in the middle of them, using the eldest lap as a pillow, the red-haired boy was holding Netto protectively as he slept, the green-haired girl was beside her eldest brother and the sickly young boy was sleeping on the floor, holding his hands.

It took a moment for Haruka to make sure he was not dead, the poor child looked as if his parents were keeping him inside all day and with very little food.

"I wish he wasn't this thing." Ekachakra spoke from another couch. "It's not as bad as it should be, but our Bubu won't get or look any better in this lifetime."

"what's wrong with him?" Haruka asked the handsome father of...seven. So far he hadn't tried anything weird.

Ekachakra leaned back on the couch and rubbed his face tiredly. "HBD."

The memory of her Saito screaming in pain as his diseased heart tried to rip itself apart met her mind eyes. "Why isn't he in the hospital." She spoke harsher than she wanted...but the children, so tired by yesterday's event, didn't stir.

"Because it won't make it better. Right now, he's at his healthiest." Ekachakra opened his green eyes. "We don't believe in drugs with more side effects than unproven benefits. He's still with us and will remain in his present body until it's time for him to go. He won't live a day longer or shorter."

Haruka opened her mouth to protest, but Ekachakra beat her to it. "We believe in destiny and reincarnation. Right now, we have done whatever was possible for him. And he plays like a normal child, eats like a horse and pesters us for a cat… He gets winded very quickly, and sometimes his chest pains him. But if he would be in the hospital, his life would be more miserable."

"But what if...what if he would have a life-threatening episode? If his heart would stop!" Haruka's voice raised...only to be lowered in a whisper. Still remembering the horrible day. "He could die."

"Then well be here for him," Ekachakra assured her, his tired eyes holding a wisdom older than time itself. "Miss Hikari. In what we practice, we call death the final exam. We are not afraid of it, for we know it's not the end."

"But he's-"

"A soul, the eternal soul made of bliss and consciousness. Death only applies to the body." He explained. "Death, disease and old age will come to all of us in time, and it's our duty to prepare for the inevitable."

"And that's what your cult is all about."

"Partly." Ekachakra grinned...then he suddenly scrambled for his PET…

No...wait. His cellphone. And old smartphone to boot.

"Yes, Devi what do you...Yes, Haruka's here...no our kids are all sleeping like logs. Netto won't wake up for a few more hours...Yes...yes...Y...ah...No, I forgot." He spoke Sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head. "Yes...I see. Of course….how about you, do you need anything devi?" he paused. "yes...I see. Alright, I'll see you later." he closed his phone and got up. "It was my wife...she wants to meet you."

"Oh, and where is she?" Haruka asked as she also got up, knowing her son, Netto would probably sleep until noon.

Somehow, it felt right for him to sleep surrounded but cult children...he Mom instinct telling her that everything was fine saved the fact that Rockman was...probably deleted or lost in the web.

' _I should call the police... maybe Enzen-kun. I'm sure he and Blue_ _could find him…'_ even at age twelve, the young hair of the Iujin family was already making a name for himself as a very bright and successful detective, what to say of a net saver…

At age twelve.

She clenched her fist...tonight, she would meet her two friends again, she needed to get better as soon as possible.

The fight wars were not the duty of a child...it was the duties of man and woman trained and willing to die for the nation.

"Miss Haruka?" Ekachakra broke her out of her mind. "please, follow me. My wife and my two daughters are in the basement."

"In the basement?"

"Yes, Maya's desire...the basement belongs to her and all of my daughters, the second floor goes to my sons and I sleep on the couch," he explains with a smile. " We've lived like this since my first...brood took birth."

"But... don't you sleep with her?" Haruka asked, personally longing for the presence of a man to warm up her bed, more specifically her wayward husband.

"Only when necessary," Ekachakra spoke curtly, leading Haruka down to their basement.

There, the smell of vinegar and lemon met her nose. _'Oh, so I'm not the only one who prefers this smell to chemicals then.'_ Then she finally go to see Ekachakra's wife.

She was reclining on a mattress on the floor, a few fluffy pillows were around her, but what caught Haruka's attention were the two sleeping bundle of joy nestles in her arms.

She was… a beautiful woman. Tired, blond and swaddled in a white dress, she could not help but feel that this woman was...otherworldly.

Maya raised her eyes, a warm and inviting smile on her lips. "Oh, Hello madam Hikari." she greeted with a kind smile. "It's good to see you in person. Your Glorious, Netto keep praising your cooking and how nice, beautiful, brave, and caring you are."

"Oh...ah, thank you." Haruka bowed. The last thing she had expected was praises.

"And I can see how you have passed those praiseworthy qualities to them." Sorrow replaced her smile. "I...Rockman was also a friend of my children...and ours also. He may not have reached the ambulance, but he was willing to risk his life to save us three." her eyes never left her two newborns. "He sacrificed his life for us..."

"I see…"

Maya sighed. "I had hoped we could've met in a better circumstance, I'm telling you."

"yes…" Haruka began to fidget.

She could still remember a time when she was in the same position as Maya...with two baby boy's sleeping as close to her heart she dared to.

"S...Rockman's not gone."

Haruka whirled around to face her son. Netto's eyes were still heavy with sleep and red with tears. But they held a determination that had save the world quite a few times…

"Oh...Netto-kun." Haruka sadly murmured, knowing that this was the stage of denial. She walked to her son and embraced him. " Netto…"

"I can still feel him...he's still here I know it!" Netto stated, his eyes were filled with thears and the same determination.

"Netto! Netto listen. he's-" But Haruka could not finish her phrase, her phone began to ring...it was Enzen-kun.

Netto all but pounced on his mother's purse and fished the phone out, answering it.

"Yes...It's Netto….Yes…" Then Netto but the speaker on.

"- Rockman...I repeat, Blue found Rockman...But...I don't think it's him anymore. Mister Craft want to see us all as soon as possible."

* * *

In the U.S a nine-year-old boy had to bull out his baby brother from his mother, the baby was breached too.

SO if a nine year old can assist his mother like that while he waits for an ambulance, then so can Netto.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning, how the Hare Krishna see's modern day education, how shōnen are really terrible for their protagonist and...
> 
> Well, Forte not being as expected.

He ran through cyberspace, in his arms was whatever he had managed to grabbed from Rockman before he dissolved completely into null-data...

He had been about to inspect the unknown element when (that useless whimp again.) had burst out of nowhere, attacking him.

Probably to try and avenge his _friend_.

Forte only had the time needed to wrap the remains of the cyber-God in his cloak before absconding from there...but not before shooting down the red maidservant on his way out.

If it hit, Forte didn't care, he was still shaken by what had happened.

Sure he may be the most powerful Navi in the world wide web. And growing ever stronger as days went by...but how is one supposed to deal with the death of his rival? A death that had happen in front of his very eyes.

The look of sheer pain and helpless terror would usually give great pleasure to Forte, but...it had looked so wrong on Rockman.

He tried to process what the hell just happened. A Navi never died like that unless a virus was involved, and as far as he knew, no Virus had corrupted Rockman.

it...scared him. He admitted.

Rockman was a super-powerful Navi once his useless brat would stop slowing him down and finally start using the good, barely legal chips. And what to say about syncing? And all the styles he had.

Saito-style was an absolute beast, and would Rockman so wish, he could make the entire web-society bow in fear at his awesome power.

But now... All that was left was the unknown element. Something Forte's i.d program could not even identify when in close contact.

' _Maybe...maybe it's something that only attacks those at the top of the food chain...'_ A shiver ran down Forte's spine.

He knew he was a menace, and he knew he was the most wanted Navi because humans and other weaklings couldn't tolerate having a free-roamer besting them all. Forte's strength was beyond what a mere Navi could reach, and only Rockman had reached this height...and more.

And now he was gone.

' _Maybe I could try to get Proto-bitch to get on Rocku's level...'_ The idea was unappealing, Protoman was a notorious stick in the mud. And his NetOp...

Oh, don't get him started in that.

Eventually, Forte arrived at his one safe house in the hospital domain.

It wasn't much, some fluffy programs to make a surface bed like a floor table he could sit at and a pillow. He had his stash of interesting read...mostly his favourite security schematic and some stuff from the human culture he deemed interesting enough to salvage and study. other pictures he saved from the net...you know the one.

Real Lady-navis were hard to get by...and Forte was better than the trash they passed as cyber-dolls.

So... pictures it was then. And while this picture was of a human woman, he'd like to think of her as his sweet girl, his Imaginary wife that would greet him with love and affection.

He had found this picture in one of the Banking Machine around town. The one with the card lifter.

It gave him someone soft to talk to...someone who didn't have a hidden motive or fear...

And while Gospel was an Ok companion...he was a Bug...a powerful super-bug that Forte had managed to gain as an applet after soundly beating the wolf to a pulp.

It had been fun, and both came to an easy partnership.

Still...it was a wolf, and Forte was not those types of weirdos...he was his own type.

He came to his bed and deposited Rockman's remains. Freeing it from his cloak.

What remained of Rockman was...some type of rig...Forte would call it an armature, but its features were too...human, too flawless.

It was not a wire-frame either... a naked Avatar perhaps?

It was...basically Rockman without his Navi skin...in other words, it looked like a naked young boy that was...semi-translucent blue and glowing.

It still had a piece of its old helmet stuck on his head, and the old, Navi crest and some of its skin on...but otherwise, it was naked and...anatomically correct.

Forte covered the nubile form...too close to that of a child.

A thin, weak, helpless, shockingly human looking child.

' _He looks like_ _Rockman, Saito-style but...way too small_ _.'_ The black and gold Navi realized. _'did he just-?'_

No...this didn't make any sense.

' _Alright Forte, this is real life, not one of those crazy fanfictions...think, what could've happened?'_

And then...it hit him.

"Rocku?!" he asked as he stared at what remained to the cyber-God in sheer disbelief.

* * *

Where was he?...he was on a soft surface...his body was cold...he was cold... and the tube going down his throat was clear...he could breathe again...

he didn't want to be there...

He wanted Papa...

_papa... Mama..._

it had hurt so much...his heart...his chest...his head...

he was cold...so cold... like cold fire...

he wanted Papa...but...who was papa?

And who was he?

" _Roku?"_

_Roku?_

" _Roku, wake up!"_

Oh...there was a man speaking...he sounded worried...

this must be his Papa...and her must be Six!

He was Six...and his Papa wanted him to wake up!

And thus, Six woke up.

He was in a weird yet familiar place...it was cyberspace. He was on something soft and there was this big person with a finny black and gold helmet with a purple sharp cross on it.

He was staring at Six...he looked worried.

' _This must be my Papa.'_ Roku deduced. Really, it made sense.

On the side of his Papa's face were some purple bands...and he wore a nice blanket.

His eyes were red...they looked worried and tired...

Six shivered, he felt cold. He curled up on himself and tried to smile at his papa.

His papa was worried, six didn't like seeing him worried.

"...Rokuman?"

His papa seemed confused, Six was just one boy, not six-man.

Not comfortable due to the cold water pressing on his skin, Six crawled onto his papa's lap and curled up under his cozy blanket. Holding onto his chest and his head to his papa weird badge thingy.

' _It looks hurt.'_ The newly christened Six noticed as he ran a hand on the line that cuts through it. Making his papa flinch. _'poor papa.'_ He thought as he kissed the emblem better.

Six sighed happily...he still felt a bit cold, but now in his Papa's arms, he felt better.

"Ah...Rokuman?"

"Papa...I'm six...not Rockman." He sleepily stated as he snuggled closer to his Papa's heart.

He liked his papa...he was strong.

* * *

Meanwhile, Forte did his very best to compute what had just happened and what Rockman had just said to him. And did to him also...

He had felt this warm fuzzy feeling in his emblem...like...very warm, very fuzzy feelings.

And Rockman, his rival had...he had...

He had called him Papa...

_ Papa _

" _ **Who...who are you? Who am I."**_ ** _The newly activate Navi asked the man on the other side of the screen._**

_**The bearded man looked tired and drawn, but also extremely happy.** _

" _ **My name is**_ _ **Mikhail**_ _ **Co**_ _ **s**_ _ **sa**_ _ **c**_ _ **k...But...you may call me**_ _ **Papa.**_ _ **"**_

" _ **Papa...you're my user?"**_

" _ **N** **o...not your user, my son. I'm your, Father, your Papa." Papa spoke with a strangled voice, his eyes seemed moist.**_

" _ **What's a Papa? And I'm...a son?" He titled his head. The word sounded familiar somewhat. And yet, Son could not pinpoint form when it was.**_

" _ **My son...A papa's someone who loves and raises a son...or a daughter."**_

" _ **So...I'm your son and...you will love and raise me?" Son ask.**_

" _ **A**_ _ **nd you...**_ _ **your named Ph...Forte." his**_ _ **Papa**_ _ **named him**_ _ **again. He seemed to be fighting not to sob. Water flowed from his eyes and nose and right into his facial hair.**_

_**Son Forte tilted his head, now more than confused. "So...am I son? A daughter or... Or Forte?"** _

_**Papa chuckled fondly as the water fell from his eyes and nose, dripping through his mustache. "You are my son, Forte...My precious son."** _

Forte closed his eyes...he'd thought he'd erased this particular memory.

He only felt hatred for the man...Nothing more.

He held Six in his arms...he had called him papa, his Papa...

In his core programming, Forte swore that he would...He would not make the same mistakes that poor excuse of a man did.

He would never betray Roku, he would love, protect him and raise the God back to his former glory. And together...

They would conquer the world.

* * *

"I see...so this is what happened." general Craft intoned. In front of him, forlornly sitting on a chair with his mother by his side was Netto. On the other was the other prodigy, Enzen.

The greying general made not of the youth's hair. It was clear he was maintaining the bi-coloured look with a bit too much zeal to be normal. _'Probably ain't aiming at being normal either. Poor kids got stuck in a job he doesn't want by a father...Nah, his old man_ _doesn't_ _deserve the title.'_ It was only years at training rookies and raising a few himself that the commander General of Netopia knew how to spot a future trouble teen.

But Enzen's understandable start of his rebellion was not what worried the wizened general...it was Netto and Rockman...

Or...Netto's reaction to Rockman's... Spontaneous Hard-reset.

It was not unheard of...but those Navi that suffered an SHR were the ones coming from a dubious source, and were practically mere A.I with a semblance of sentience.

Rockman was definitely more than that...he had true sentience.

Just like...them.

He had seen the duo work together and interact like a pair of brothers. Not like Enzen and his servant.

They had a bond...and, if Netto was telling the truth, this esoteric bond was still whole.

"So, did Protoman managed to scan what Forte was holding?" Craft spoke carefully, wary of Netto's reaction.

The poor boy had to report and review the last moment of his Navi... or whatever his PET had recorded from Cyber-space as Rockman got partially deleted.

It wasn't much, the little piece of amazing technology had managed to record until the blue bomber began to gasp for air, struggling to breathe -something a Navi should _never_ do-and run as he sought medical assistance for a certain Maya (Zoya) Volnutt-Dei... a woman with no other previous paper trail save for a very recent Visa.

She hailed from Gauranga-land apparently, same as all of her family.

She had been extremely lucky Netto was not one of those spineless bitch to scared to approach a woman in labour. But still, it was yet another reason why Craft had given madam Hikari the number of a reputable child counsellor...again.

And that was where it stopped, for some reason...It seemed Rockman's connection to his PET had broken before the cascading failure. It was only due to Enzen's preemptive move to send Protoman to the Hospital server that had given the general...and the broken family a clue of what had happened next.

While Protoman had arrived on the scene after Forte, he had managed to catch the bastard doing something to a Hard-Reseting Rockman. And the next thing the red Navi knew...

He was holding a child...a glowing blue child that used to be Rockman.

In essence, that was the navi's core, what made him...him...but no really.

Rockman had died that day, deleted from his core. Whatever was left was but some aberrant Data...something that would act like a child and be easily killed.

And then, dazed, confused and pissed-off at Protoman (why hope for something different.) Forte had done something the general and the net-saver duo had never executed the proud Navi to do.

He fled to places unknown...with Rockman's highly dangerous aberrant data in tow.

"No sir... we're not even sure if it's even Rockman anymore," Enzen admitted, and from how tight he held his fist, it was clear he was barely holding his emotions in check.

Craft closed his eyes...this was why having kids enrolled as over-glorified mercenary guild just because they just so happen to be better then the so-called adult was a _terrible_ idea.

Rockman and Netto were meant to have weird adventures, or trying to get enough cash for the latest candies and toys, hunting for frogs and biking around Dedene town as they started to noticed girls...(or boys or whatever the hell they were attracted to.)...not save the world and risk their lives practically every month!

Fully trained man, able and willing to lay down their lives for others should...not two children.

They talked a bit more, planed for the unlikely retrieval, gave the empty promises to recuperate Rockman and sent everyone home...including himself after all the paperwork was done.

He missed his Neige...and his little Ciel.

* * *

Netto was back home...a home that always felt too big for only two.

His papa was never here...and Saito didn't exactly have a physical presence. Since he was, for all intent and purpose, a ghost in a machine.

And now...with Saito...Rockman gone and his mother busy with her friend...

He hated the place...

After they had arrived home, his Mama had held him close as he mourned. Sure, General craft and Blue had told him that not everything was lost, and Netto still felt the bond with his brother...but...

But what his papa had told him about Rockman and how unstable his existence was, kept replaying in his mind.

Right now... he had reset at being Saito...just Saito...and he was with Forte.

The black NetNavi could do whatever he wanted with him...even deleting him.

No Navi could return fully after being deleted. Even though backups and Data-recovery. What would be left was a husk with what amounted to a very basic and impersonal A.I...

He had seen so many of those in his home computer, like Fireman and colorman...moving, attacking, and that was it...just like mere programs.

' _Is this...it happened to Rockman.'_ Netto realized as he circled up against his mother's side, taking shelter in her loving embrace. And since his deceased brother was beyond powerful...

Those rogue copies had the terrible habit of causing devastating damage to the net and those who existed there, their power double and sometimes triple what it had been at base state.

He curled up tighter... If Rockman's default style was that of Saito now...and if he had turned like those abominations...

They were doomed...Forte had a superweapon in his hands...

He hated Humans...

Netto Sobbed as his mama gently massaged his scalp...She would be dead soon, as were his friends and neighbour...

He knew of not Navi who could...who could...

' _Papa...why didn't you let Saito die! Yous should've never...why did you have to make him my Navi!'_

And thus he cried until he fell asleep in his mother's lap. Feeling powerless...

When he woke up...he was all alone again, in his bed.

It was night outside...and he knew he had school tomorrow, he could not afford to skip class just because...just because his Navi suffered a software failure.

Netto got up...and went to his mama's bedroom...only to find it empty.

He felt so alone...

The first time Rockman had seemingly died, his Mama had always been there for him, letting him sleep in her bed...and helping him deal with the side-effected of enduring enough radiation to kill an adult.

There had been no explanation for that, but Netto figure he just was that awesome.

But...he was not awesome enough to stay in an empty house...

he went down the stairs...the whole house was dark and foreboding now...as if filled with ghosts.

He went to the fridge, he was thirsty...and he wanted to drink some fresh water. He also wanted to check if his Mama had left him a note or anything.

Indeed, his mama had left something this time.

_Hey, my dear hero, Mama had to go to her friend again...my friends may have...they may be able to recuperate_ _Rockman._

_I will be back sometime tomorrow._

_Don't forget your schoolwork. I already called the principal, you have a few days off, but don't waste them playing video games._

_Plenty of love and kisses, your mama that loves you._

_P.S you are the strongest young-man I've met in my entire life. I'm proud of you._

Netto took the message...And let it fall on the ground.

He wanted...He wanted mama...

He wanted to be with people...

he closed the fridge and exited the empty house from the back door, making his way to the Volnutt-Dei Family home. He went through his yard, a small drizzle fell on him...and it was cold. His barren feet finding each and every pebble and sharp stick that littered the ground.

He...his heart told him to get there...

He crossed his friend's yards, the grass was wet, muddy and cold, it seemed to take forever to reach the Volnutt's residence. And when he did... he met with a closed-door...

Should he let himself in? It was...so late at night. And Moiya just had her babies and...

Netto felt so stupid right now...and wet. And he had no idea how the fearsome four could play outside barefooted for so long.

Then...he saw and heard some movement from inside the house. _'Oh...uh...maybe I should leave?'_ He didn't want to leave...he didn't want to return to his empty house...he didn't want to remain alone.

The sliding door opened, and Bhuteshvara was there, staring at Netto with wide eyes. "N...Netto-Prabhu! What are you doing here?" The sickly young man asked, his eyes wide under his white glasses.

Now...Netto really felt stupid. He was a big, grown-up boy. Practically the man of the house, the saviour of the net, and the world! He could stay in the empty house...

He should stay in his house...

The next thing he knew, Bhuteshvara had grabbed his wrist and pulled him inside. And in his arms.

It was then that Netto realized how cold he felt, he was shivering...and tears fell from his eyes.

"It's alright Netto...Were all here for you." The shorter boy spoke soothing words.

Netto melted in his warm arms, he was shaking, whether due to the cold or from emotions...he didn't know, and he didn't care.

Suddenly, there was a hiss, and Bhuta gasped as he released his friend and grabbed the milk off from the stovetop. "He Yashoda, Yashoda!" He took the frothy pan and deposited it on the marble counter-top. He looked at the overflowing vessel, then at the closed altar...and finally at Netto.

The pale boy gave an amused huff as he grabbed the container of brown sugar and two silver goblets, he mixed quite a few tablespoons of the sweetener, gave it a stir and poured it in the two silver cups went to the altar of Gaura-Nitai and offered the milk...after putting a Tulasi leaf in it.

Meanwhile, Netto looked around the dining area and found a clock...it was a bit past midnight.

' _Yesterday...this was my last moment with my brother...'_ It may have been the second time he had lost Rockman...but the feeling never changed, it was still as painful.

It still felt like half of his heart had been roughly yanked away...and thorn to pieces.

"Netto?" Bhuta called out to his friend. " Ah...Please sit down. I'm just offering the milk...ah...right!" He closed his eyes, clapped his hands and took the goblet laden tray, poured the content in two mugs, cleaned everything he had used and returned to Netto's side with two mugs filled with sweet, warm milk.

For his part, Netto didn't sit down...he was just watching Bhuta work...

He just...Netto just...

He was not alone anymore.

As quickly as he could, Bhuteshvara was back beside Netto, handing him the pipping hot mug of milk. "Here...drink it...when you can handle the temperature," Bhuta spoke as he sat beside his friend. His own mug in his hands.

Netto grunted as he leaned onto his Devotee friend. The spiritual atmosphere of the house, the warm milk and his presence chasing the cold feeling he had in his heart.

Neither of them spoke, Bhuta's presence was enough. Both young boys drank their milk in companionable silence. And soon, Bhuta left to clean the mugs.

Then he grabbed Netto's hand and lead him to his room.

He made the older boy change in Pajama...washing his feet off the mud he had gathered and apologizing for not thinking about doing this earlier and tucked him in his own Futon.

As the young, sickly boy was about to move away, Netto grabbed his wrist. "Stay, please." he weakly pleaded. "I don't...I don't want to be alone."

Bhuta looked at him for a bit, then he removed his glasses and crawled in the bed beside the older boy. Netto wrapped his arms around him, holding Bhuta close as he kept his ear on his heart.

He could hear a strong heartbeat... It was steady...unless he would breathe but otherwise, it was a very normal heartbeat.

" I thought you had...I thought you had HBD..." Netto murmured against the sickly boy's chest, letting the sound of life soothe his soul.

"I...I had." Bhuta revealed as he gently caressed Netto's tousled hair. "In my country, HBD's scary, but...it's only a bit worst than an appendicitis." He explained.

"Oh...but...I thought Gauranga-land was an underdeveloped country," he explained, lulled by the song of Bhuta's heart.

The Vaishnava chuckled. "yeah...we do not have big cars and factories, but that's because we care more about the environment and our people's spiritual growth and welfare more than economic development. We also have a pretty good cure for cancer; cow urine!" the young boy declared with undeniable pride.

"Uh..."

"And we also know how to cure death," Bhuta mentioned, goading his friend to ask more.

"You...can cure death?" Netto asked. Bot incredulous and hopeful.

"Oh yes...it's actually very easy." The younger boy nodded wisely. "You just have to chant the Hare Krishna Maha-Mantra."

"Really? That's why you sing it?" Netto asked.

"Partly...this Mantra's so potent, anything you wish will come true if you sing it," Bhuta whispered to Netto conspiratorially.

Once again, hope grew in Netto's simple heart... "You mean...I could wish my brother to be alive and...and not a Navi and...it would work?"

"Oh, Absolutely Netto," Bhuta assured. "The Hare Krishna Maha-Mantra is literally God's phone number, and nothing's impossible for Him."

"...Can you prove it?" The young net-saver asked, he may feel tired and on the verge of falling asleep, but he knew when something was too good to be true.

"I'm alive..."

Those two words were enough for Netto...

"Netto...wanna chant with me?" Bhuta asked gently.

"Yeah.." Netto nodded, at this point, he was willing to do anything to Get Saito back. "Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna..." He prayed to God for the impossible... on his back and with palms folded.

' _O God...O Krishna...please bring my brother back, bring him back from the dead..._ _I want Saito Back...'_

_Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare_

_Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare._

And thus they chanted and prayed with all of his heart until the warm milk and the Maha-Mantra lulled Netto in an easy sleep...away from his alarm clock and the treat that was Saito-style under Forte's control.

On the Volnutt's family altar, Gauranga and His Brother exchanged merciful and mischievous glances. Taking their night garlands of dandelions, they threw it to the floor in front of the altar.

"So be it?" Nitai asked his brother.

"So be it!" The Supreme and most merciful Personality of Godhead confirmed, his will spurring material nature, his maidservant to arrange for a miracle.

* * *

A few hours later, Ekachakra das woke up...it was morning this time.

He grunted...he had forgotten this part of the deal about raising babies...

speaking of which, his two new daughters were finally peacefully sleeping beside his beloved Maya.

He had forgotten how small newborns could be...and those two little girls were _minuscule_!

' _Oh my lord, you once again gave us two souls...two of your devotee's to serve. I'm so small and insignificant. My wife is more powerful than me, I...Oh Lord Krishna, please give me the strength to protect your family, may my arms, by buster and everything I think belong to me be used is your service..."_ He meekly prayed to Sri-Krishna as he beheld the two little baby girl swaddled in their blanket. And his God sent wife...

He may have a Guru, but Ekachakra's wife was the one who thought him what causeless love and devotion truly was, something he would never have realized would he have stayed a mere brahmachari.

She would serve him without asking anything in return...simply because she saw him as a servant of Krishna. And then, she bore him quadruplet...even after the disastrous first pregnancy. And now...just because they foster child challenged Krishna to bring his little sister back...

She did...Moiya had broken a few principles just to give two souls a chance to know Krishna and go back home, back to Godhead even if it meant becoming bloated and practically unmoving again. And gained the honour of giving birth to an eternally liberated soul... the reason for this amazing and rare occurrence was simple.

His wife's love for Krishna was such, that the Lord would send her good souls to help with the liberation of all the conditioned souls.

And he who loved God loves the world.

And then this love...this amazing amount of love his Maya had extended to their neighbour's curious sons, the Navis of her net protection Guild and...Ekachakra.

The husband that was rarely home, the one would only bring a paltry amount of money since he could never find a steady job. The husband who had gone through some ordeals that made him...Shy away at her touch sometimes.

Ekachakra once again folded his palm and send his deepest, most sincere prayers of gratitude to the Lord. Knowing that Krishna was the one taking care of his dear and saintly Moiya and the rest of the Nitya-Siddhas that consist of his family. Then he gently kissed his wife, and his two new daughters... and while they were still unnamed, Moiya had called baby number one Croire. And the second one Pandora, for she was the last to come out of her blessed womb...

Ekachakra had argued that it would've been better to call her Espoire then, but Maya had retorted that it would help convince Prometheus that this little girl was indeed his returned sister...

She had a point.

Moiya stirred a bit and gave a sleepy smile. "Hmmm...Morning Prabhu..." she sleepily mumbled, a soft smile on her lips. "Sleep well?"

"Not really, Croire was fussy...or was it Pandora?"

"It was Croire, Pandora's quiet," Moiya stated as she got up and took up her old flip phone. "Hmm...it's three..."

"you can sleep more if you need it. You just gave birth yesterday." Eka stated as he got off from the floor and stretched. "You're still contaminated...you don't need to wake up at three until you feel ready." the dark-haired man gently spoke as he rubbed the sand out of his eyes.

His wife still looked extremely sleepy. "But...how 'bout my other kids...they want their mama too!" She pouted as gravity pulled her back to her pillow.

"Moiya...rest more, I'll take care of the kids today." He assured the mother of all his children...Krishna's children.

"Are you sure, Prabhu? After the attack yesterday the net will be in shamble."

"Yes...and there's enough Net-Saver to make sure those dummies won't attack the communication and the hospital again." He once again assured his beloved wife as he petted her silky soft hair.

It was so long...thank Krishna she had some control over them, otherwise managing such a mass would require a maidservant...

He barely made enough to ensure his family would have enough food, to add a maidservant to the mix...

' _No, Eka...Srivasa Thakura never went to beg. And he was never a poor man...Krishna will provide everything...as always.'_ He reminded himself. From the house, the clothing on their back and the food they would have, they never ran out...

And this, Eka knew, was because of the Faith his saintly wife had in Sri-Krishna.

"Alright...if you say so..." Maya mumbled as she curled protectively around her two newborns, and fell asleep ...Eka knew this slumber would be cut short in either five of thirty minutes by Pandora...or maybe Croire...

He smiled at the sight and got up from the floor and to his feet, unbothered by the cold surface...but still planing to buy his beloved wife and children nice warm slippers.

Amerope was a much colder country compared to Bharata-Varsa.

He climbed up the stairs, he could already hear Hari-Priya bickering with Lavanga about the role of women in society...

Eka shook his head, this was still one of the hot topics debated by the Isckon preachers. But in the blue Netizen's opinion, all had a role to play, a Role Krishna had given them. Most women were happier at home, playing the role of a housewife like his dear Maya...when she felt like it. While some others would rather remain alone like his sister, who would rather focus on serving her Krishna than raising children, something she admitted would be terrible at.

Both women were following their nature, and both women used those nature at the service of God, Krishna. Meaning both women were perfect.

Of course, His Maya was a born warrior, and, before her pregnancy, would go out on Virus busting spree in the Desire three server auxiliary servers.

She would also take this opportunity to preach there, but it was clear she was a woman of action. This propensity had somewhat diminished after giving birth and raising four kids.

...somewhat.

Eka emerged from the basement, the house, a gift from one of his clients, was quiet, saved from the aforementioned debate. And since Hari-Priya and Lavanga were talking in a hushed tone, then it meant either Partha or Bhuta were using the upstairs washroom.

The house had two bathrooms and a water closet. One was in the basement, the other one on the upper floor and the water closet at ground level. The bathroom Maya had given birth in was Japanese style...as was the one at the top. And this one belonged to her until she could come out of her contamination period...in a month or so. After that, it would be the nursery and finally...it would be the girl only part of the house.

Once again, Ekachakra das praised the Lord for the magnificent house. It had everything his family needed... Save a Hare Krishna Temple nearby and a community of devotees.

when he married Maya, he had expected to have two, maybe three children top over the course of a few years.

He didn't expect her to attract four souls at once...and Eka didn't expect to have that much potency.

Well, her first pregnancy ended in tears...but, his saintly wife simply told her dear Prabhu that the body that came out had been her previous sins...and that she was now ready to host sages and eternally liberated souls in her wombs.

Well...it seemed the Lord deeply appreciated her undying enthusiasm to be the mother of His children since he gave Maya four in one shot...

And Ekachakra das would never have it any other way.

He went up the stair to the second-floor bathroom, there he saw Hari-Priya talking to Lavanga-Manjari in a quieter tone, it was clear they had given up on their hot topic and went to something safer and nicer to speak during the early morning hours.

Like how they would pray to Krishna-Balarama so that they may be able to rescue Rockman from Forte's grip...and how they would sneak in the web and personally go and look for the sixth son of the Volnutt-Dei family.

Yes...Netto and Rockman, as per the decision of his children, were now part of their family. Meaning both boys now had eight guardians who would look after them.

Still, He could only pray himself for God to protect his adventurous children. For the net was not a safe as it used to be.

Eka could not see either Partha or Bhuta...usually, Bhuta would be the first in the shower, for his heart could not handle the thermic shock. But he didn't see his little ghost in the living room either...

And Prometheus was also missing...

"So...planning a rescue operation already?" He broke in, surprising his two scheming daughters.

"Ah! Pitha! Hare Krishna!" Both of his daughters exclaimed as then went to touch his feet.

Ekachakra picked up both of his precious little girls off the floor...Krishna precious maidservants, and smelled their heads a few times.

It was supposed to be three...but really, he could keep Lala and Priya in his arms forever, protecting them from the big dangerous worlds they live in until they would return back home, back to Godhead.

Of course...he knew their destiny was not one of peaceful practice, for they were like their mother...And Hari-Priya had practically been her spitting image before her first trip into the net.

"Dad! Let us go!" His green wind fairy pushed his face away. "Your beards too ruff."

"Your a bearded monster!" his sweet mermaid piped up. "Shave! It's not Chaturmasia yet!"

Ekachakra chuckled...His Hari-Pryia and Lavanga-Manjari may be net-warriors...but they would always be his little baby girls...

' _Oh Krishna...I don't deserve them...'_ He thought as he released his daughter's...Krishna's devotee's sent to deliver him and his entire family.

Then...he asked a very important question. "Lava...where's Bhuta? Is he-"

"He's fine Papa." His blue mermaid assured him. "Gauranga wanted some warm milk last night, so he went down and Netto-Prabhu was outside in the rain."

Ekachakra's brows went up to his hairline.

"Basically, Doyal-Nitai and Vijaya-Chaitanya knew Netto was coming in disturbed, so they had Bubu make him some sweet warm milk. He's still sleeping with him." Hari-Pryia finished just as he brother opened the door and also paid his obeisances to his father.

Ekachakra proceeded to do the same procedure with Partha-Sharathi that he did with his two daughters.

"Hey, dad...Netto's sleeping with-"

"I know Pandu, your sister already told me," Ekachakra spoke with a smile at the fallen expression his youngest son wore. "Alright, you girls go and take your shower, I will check with Bhuteshvara...and how about-"

"Prometheus went to Netto's house before you woke up." Lavanga piped up. " I thought he would be back soon but...well, I think he may be sniffing around their stuff."

"That, or he's looking for Netto-Prabhu's toothbrush and extra-cloth." Hari-Priya pipped up. "and his homework."

"I see," Ekachakra murmured. "Alright...another interesting morning then," he mumbled more to himself as he made his way to Bubu's room. In front of the closed doors, he could hear his more 'fragile' son recite his Japa.

Now, usually, when dealing with deities, prayers and Mantra, bathing before performing those sacred acts was mandatory. But not with the Maha-Mantra. For the Hare Krishna Maha-Mantra was to be chanted in any condition.

Whether clean or unclean, saintly pure or the most sinful, with a heart filled with material desire or completely liberated. It mattered not, for the Lord in his sound form would always bestow his blessing upon the chanters.

And after waking up from sleep, the body was certainly filthy, for the night was the time it would clean itself, releasing toxins through the pores.

Ekachakra gently opened the door of his eldest son's room, the smell of sleep was prevalent, something rare for his Little Gudakesha. Having been blessed with the need of practically no sleep...and no adverse effect either. Peering in, he saw that his eldest was on his back, his Japa-bag on his left hand and Netto's tousled head on his heart. The overly young Net-saver was deeply sleeping, holding Bhuta like one would a body pillow.

Ekachakra gently slid into the room, careful not to make any sound as to not rouse their superheroic neighbour. But he made sure his little ghosty knew he was there.

"Oh...Pitha, Hare Krishna." Bhuteshvara whispered. "Look, Netto's back..."

"I can see that," Ekachakra whispered with a fond smile, really, this young saviour had wormed his way to his and his dear wife's heart. And it was clear what had happened to his cyber-fae had left his brother in shock.

Still, while it was selfish of him...Ekachakra would never say no to another son, even if he was of another family and sub-species entirely.

A soul was a soul, after all. The vessel was but an external feature.

He kneeled beside his son's bedding. Netto looked tired, and it was clear he had cried to sleep. Clutching his firstborn as if he was a lifesaver.

"Pitha...Netto...he told me his brother...like his actual blood brother in Rockman." his Bhuta revealed in a whisper. "There something going on with his Family...something...that may have to do with the...with them."

Ekachakra frowned. "So...commander Elipzo was right, Mister...or miss Hikari maybe have some link with the cyber-fae trafficking ring."

"I think it may be mister Hikari...Netto's Grandpa...he has a lot to say, but he won't speak." Bhuta yawned. "He...he's mad at his son but...but he still wants to protect him."

His little ghosty may not need to sleep, but he still needed to rest.

"Alright, Gasper. I'll check on this. I think you can stay where you are until Netto's ready to wake up...does he have school?" Eka asked.

"Yeah, he does..." Bhuta grumbled. " but you know how bad the educational system is, right?"

Their Acharia had called schools slaughterhouses for the souls. For they only taught dead subjects like sense gratification, atheistic science and useless labour for a box and an empty plot of land with a stone on top...and it neglected the real part of education.

Character building, morality and most impotently; Krishna Consciousness, the supreme goal of eternal life.

"You know what? I'll ask Prometheus to get me his homework, I wouldn't mind adding him to our little homeschooling program."

Bhuteshwara gasped in great joy, causing Netto to stir. His eldest clamped his mouth shut as he gently petted Netto's head, and soon enough, the pre-teen was back to his slumber.

"I'll take that as a yes. And if he likes it, we could...I'll talk to his mother about it." Ekachakra promised his beloved son, getting up from his crouch. He walked out of the room and closed the door as quietly as possible. When he turned around, he managed to catch his two precious daughters exiting the bathroom together.

"Ok dad, your turn...by the way, Prometheus is back." Lavanga piped up, swaddled in her gamsha.

"Yeah...he should be assisting mom with Croire and Pandora," Hari-Priya informed her father as she also returned to her shared room, Holding hands.

Unlike the frost-resistant Lavanga, his Harini wore a warm and fluffy bathrobe and slippers.

"Alright, thank you. I'll see you soon." And with that, he also entered the bathing facility, more than ready to wash off the dust and grim he had accumulated as he slept upon the cold basement floor. And after that, he had an adopted son to speak to, and a very secure home computer to break into...

As he removed his dirty clothes, Ekachakra das could only pray to the Lord that He wouldn't find incriminating evidence. He would hate to see Netto's family life get worst than what it already was.

Suddenly, he heard his Hari-Priya yelp in surprise, obliviously waking up the two newborns.

" _Harini!_ " and that was his wife. "...no, ok...sorry I yield." she then apologized. Ekachakra could just hear her shame and grogginess.

It was clear Maya was still struggling with, as she and all the other women at the new mother's group would call pregger-brain.

Then came the sound of two of his progeny running down the stair and clamouring how Gaura-Nitai had thrown their night garland on the floor.

He sighed...there was no way Netto could sleep through that.

* * *

In sci-lab, Yuchiro sat in front of a computer...it was not in his main lab, it was hidden from few.

The particular lab he was in...was one of those few the government would say didn't exist. It was were, in its propitiatory Ethernet that Yuichiro, with his father's hint, had found Saito...

No...this was wrong. He didn't find Saito again...He always knew his son was there.

His father had simply given him the order to release his son...for the experiment had to continue, the next step had to be taken.

Saito had always been there...sleeping...dreaming of his numerous adventure in cyber-space.

In the dark lab was a sealed thank, in there... Hikari's sin slept on. Not quite alive...but not quite dead.

The best scientist in sci-lab sighed as he gently laid a hand on the tank. He was still not ready...still not ready to let go...to make Saito go to the next step.

But one day, he would...

For the earth...for humanity at large.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my document folder, this work is called Papa Bass for a reason. I saw plenty of fanfiction about our favourite asshole being a lover to Rockman, and definitely a rival...but not a father figure.
> 
> And to be honest, everyone would be better than Yushiro, even Lord Wily.


	4. Chapter 4

Papa bass 4

Some time had passed as Forte held...Roku. The small, child-like Navi...thing...

Rockman reborn in innocence.

He fitted surprisingly well in his arms as if he was meant to be there... his little, delicate head resting by his emblem.

It once again gave the dark Navi some soft and fuzzy feelings. But it did almost nothing to shake away the dread he felt.

What if...what if Rockman's amnesia was but temporary? What if...

He had called him Papa...but how would he call him now?

Would he call him Forte? Would he...

No...the black Navi closed his eyes... he didn't even want to entertain this notion.

And then he paused...would taking care of Roku make him weak?

' _Nah...it'll just give me some extra challenge and...a bargaining chip if things go south.'_ He was Forte, taking care of Roku... Rockman, while he reached his true potential, was not a sign of being a wimp; it was a sign of intelligence

brute force didn't seem to bring Forte closer to his ultimate goal. And having a partner meant that it had to be an independent Navi, a little less powerful than forte.

But with Rockman...oh, Forte struck _gold_.

He just needed to raise him right, to raise him to be as loyal as possible to him...just as he had done with Gospel.

Well, he had first fought against the cyber-wolf-bug for his freedom. But by the end of it, both had been in a pretty rough shape; it was only due to his amazing self-healing ability that he managed to get the upper hand. But instead of ending the wolve's life, the dark Navi began to take care of him...

Yes, his conquest and his power search were what made Forte tick despite the incredible odds against him. But loneliness was not cured by being alone all the time.

And Gospel was a pretty sweet abomination... a huge bug in the system... and Forte liked his style.

Still.. he was still too animalistic for Forte's taste.

He readjusted his grip on the small...

' _huh...He doesn't feel like a Navi.'_ he realized. _'It's like...an_ _avatar_ _? A program?!'_ Oh, this would be terrible. It meant that the true God of the net got downgraded to something that had no sentience and that would only repeat the same things.

Oh, some could easily pass for a Navi, but Forte, being the tester he was, could easily break the glamour spell and see them soulless bunnies for what they truly were.

He just...he just hope this would not be the Net God's fate.

It would be...it would be a horrible way to disappear.

Suddenly, he felt Roku stir, hugging him closer as he rubbed his face on his chest. Effectively snuggling.

Something, something, warm and fuzzy feeling something...

Then the blue, translucent child emerged from under his cloak; he was rubbing his eyes for sleep still hung to him.

' _Oh...by the first source code...that's like the most precious thing ever.'_ No, Forte was not into the cute and cuddly thing but _this_!

Well, Forte was more than willing to tolerate it...as often at it would happen.

"Hmmm...Morning Papa." Roku mumbled with a voice so sweet; it shamed those Miku voice program. And...

He had called the black reploid 'Papa'...not Forte.

His lips stretched in a grin. "Morning...Son." he greeted the Prototype god. The word...causing his grin to widen and caused something in his chest to expand.

The tiny, tiny Roku got to his feet and, using Forte's thigh (ouch), bolster himself up so that he could hug the dark Navi around his neck and planting an innocent kiss on his cheek.

Once again, warm fuzzy feeling burned brightly in Forte's core program...and pain down below the belt; it was as if ha pair of stakes almost pierced his thighs.. but Roku's arms around his neck and the affection he gave was enough to make it all worthwhile.

' _Huh...I could get used to that.'_ So far, Roku was not acting like a brat...

Oh sure, The dark Navi may be on an eternal quest for power, but it didn't mean he didn't take the time to peruse his target, humanity at large.

As expected, humans were a bunch of useless fools no better than animals. They were envious, destructive of their environment, exploitative of others and had nothing to give to the world ultimately they lived in...

And Kids were cruel, snotty, demanding little imp.

...he just hoped Roku would not be like a human...he was better than that. For he was the true god of the net, and soon, his dominion would extend to the real world. And then...

And then the reckoning would commence.

He felt Six's spindly arm release his neck and mercifully jump of his lap, freeing the dark Navi from his surprisingly sharp heels. The little...Godling then stretched again and began to look around in the room curiously.

"Papa...where are we?" He asked the dark Navi. "Is it home?"

"Yes, Roku, it's our home. Don't you remember?" better he starts removing his son from whatever he had before his reformatting.

Roku shook his messy head of hair. "No...It doesn't look like a home," He spoke as he began to walk around the room, his little feet not touching the ground. "Home...our home was bigger. It had two floors..." The little blue god began as he wrinkled his nose. "and it smelled nicer."

Forte got up from the ground and sat on his bed, stretching his legs out.

As a Navi, he did not have to suffer the embarrassing numb legs as a human would have...still, having his lower limbs folded under his and Roku's combined weight was not a very pleasant experience. Save for the fact that he was holding Roku...his...

Son.

"So...you don't like how it smells?" Forte shot back as he took pleasure watching the Goddling looking around his safe-house. "How does here smell anyway?"

Six scrunched up his little face as he crossed his arms. "hmm...it smells...like static."

"static?" Forte repeated. To which Roku emphatically nodded.

"yes, Papa. It smells like static and... copper...it doesn't smell nice." He stated.

"Huh...if you say so. I can't smell shi..." suddenly, his cursing habit slapped him in the face...

Figuratively speaking, of course.

Did he want Roku to curse like a sailor? It would be both hilarious and oh-so edgy to have the God, once back at his full power, rain divine cyber-reckoning over the unworthy humans while he cursed a storm...

But on the other hand, Forte would rather keep Roku's mouth pure and sweet a little while longer.

"You can't smell what?" speaking of the cyber-God, there he was staring at Forte like a curious little metaur.

"I can't smell...I can't smell what you smell." he avoided the verbal goof expertly.

Roku gave a wide, satisfied smile. "Oh...OK. By the way, thank you for not saying Shit; Mama never liked bad words." the little God replied without batting an eye. Cementing Forte's opinion about what should and should not be in his blue boy's mouth.

"Alright, thank you for the compliment, rook, but this better is the last time you curse like that." Forte scolded as he sat cross-legged on his bed, drilling Roku with his disproving glance.

The Godling shrunk in shame. "Sorry, papa, I won't do it again."

"Well, you can curse, but...you better have a damn good reason to do it." Forte conceded...he didn't want a foul-mouthed abomination...but some cussing here and there would emphasize his wrath.

Cowed under the older Navi's hard glace, Roku meekly looked down. "Sorry, papa, I won't do it...unless there's a good reason."

"Good...I make the rules here. And you better listen to me, or else."

Once again, Roku meekly nodded, and Forte wondered if...maybe he was a bit too harsh.

His own...Doctor Cossack had told him the same thing, but the way the scientist had spoken to him had been...kind and loving.

Even if his affection had been faked. Obliviously.

Forte got up and walked to the awkwardly floating Roku, kneeling in front of him so that they may be...more or less at eye level.

It felt wrong to loom over his little Goddling...and it felt wrong to have this particular NetNavi cow under him.

"What I mean is...I've been living in Uranet for decades, and let me tell you, Roku, it's a dangerous place," he explained gravely. "There are so many viruses that would eat little boy like you as a snack...and other Navis that would love to hurt you." Forte warned his little blue boy as he gently put both hands on his shoulders. "and then there are the humans...terrible creatures that will try to enslave you, forge a false friendship before discarding the moment you're not what they want." he warned his little boy.

"And I...I don't want that to happen." he ended.

Oh, Forte knew the power that lurked in Rockman's core programming, for nothing was hidden once fused with him.

It was something...out of the cyber-world. And Roku had the power to wipe the entirety of cyberspace would he wished it.

This wealth of power...was not Gone. And Roku could delete whatever obstacle came in his way...

And yet.

And yet, he felt so small and fragile, so innocent and sweet. This...this child had triggered some programs that...

That made Forte care for the little Goddling...and fear for his safety despite the world ending power he possessed.

Something took over Forte, and he engulfed Roku in his arms...realizing that he would not be safe here.

"Papa...I'll be OK. I'll listen to you." His papa's cape muffled Roku's voice "Mama won't be happy if I don't listen to you."

And then Forte realized... "Wait...Mama?"

Roku nodded as he patted out of Forte's protective embrace and to the pictures of his Waifu. There, he took his favourite and pattered back to papa. Showing him the PNG data lifted from a bank security camera.

On the picture was someone whom most of the population would think looked quite unremarkable. Her makeup was very simple, her brown hair was cut rather short, and she wore a simple T-shirt. It had no brand, and there was a small stain from the detergent she used. She had a white pseudo bag slung over her shoulder. And she had very kind eyes...Tired and sad...but oozing with a certain type of kindness that would melt anyone's heart.

And determination... _plenty_ of determination.

She was staring forward, probably staring at her bank balance...actually, she was looking at what was remaining at the end of the month.

Then...Forte's tough processor finally booted.

"Wait... _she's your Mama?..._ " Then Forte bit his tongue...

If Roku saw Forte as his Papa and this mysterious woman as his mama, then...

This mysterious woman was...his wife... in Roku's fragmented mind, that is.

Roku nodded, either ignoring or..not minding the fact that his Papa didn't know his mama... "That's my mama..." he looked down. "I miss her..."

"Roku...You..."

"Papa...can we bring her here?" The little godling asked, and Forte started to feel a migraine coming.

* * *

"Netto-Prabhu."

Netto buried his face deeper in his talking pillow. He didn't hear his alarm ring twice, and Rockman didn't yell at him to wake up yet...meaning it was still time to sleep.

"Netto-Prabhu...I need to pee."

His pillow sounded like Bhuta...Netto mumbled something about five more minutes...he had this amazing dream about Forte taking his mother on a date in Cyberspace...and treating Netto and Saito nicely...calling them his precious sons.

"Netto...I don't have five more minutes."

Netto could hear someone else snickering.

"Need some help Bhu?"...this sounded like Partha.

"Yes...please."

" _Utishta!"_ Partha-Sharathi declared, and Netto awoke, his previous laziness sublimating like methane meeting a flame.

And with his full mental faculty, the young Netsaver could now fully appreciate that he had been sleeping practically on top of Bhuteshvara...said the waifish boy was quick to get out of bed and right into the bathroom, leaving Netto with Partha.

"Ah...Good morning?" Netto ventured, now regretting his previous decision.

Well, once with Bhuta and his cult mantra, his sleep had been deep and restful... and the dream he had!

He wanted to be back with Papa Forte and his mama...and Saito. As weird as it was.

' _Saito...'_

He felt the bed shift; Partha had just sat beside him. "Hey...Netto. What's wrong?" the usually boisterous redhead asked his friend with a subdued tone.

"I...I miss S...Rockman." he hugged his knee. "I...Do you think...to you think well be able to save again him this time?" He asked Partha.

The youngest yet stronger boy wrapped his right arm around Netto's shoulder. "It's up to God, but... My siblings and I will do whatever it takes to get Rock back." The redhead assured.

"But...what if...what if he's..." He could not even bring himself to say it... even if this was the second time he had lost him.

Well... Third time, really.

"He's your brother, right?" Partha asked. "Like...your real brother?"

Netto started and then realized that, yes, he had told Bhuta about it. "Y...Yes... His name's Saito, and...he died when he was very young."

"He did?" Partha raised a brow at that statement. To which Netto nodded.

"yeah...that's what Mama and Papa told me...but...Papa didn't want him to die."

"Obliviously."

"So he... he uploaded his consciousness in a specialized PET and made him a NetNavi," Netto admitted. "I...Papa told me...when I received my PET and him...Papa told me it would be like having a brother and that I had to treat him as such."

"and you did."

"Yes..." Netto gave a wry smile filled with tears. "I learn he was my brother...my twin a few months ago, during the Alpha incident." He opened his heart further, knowing full well that Partha could be trusted. Sure, he had a big mouth and was incredibly loud, which is why no one would expect the fiery youth to be such a great secret keeper.

"The alpha Incident? The second time?" Partha parroted. " cheese...what did you and your bro do?"

"We saved the world a few times...and Rock...Saito and I got too much power through a perfect-synchro once and..." He shuddered.

Partha's eyes grew wide, and his mouth fell open.

"We...managed to save him... it was either that or..., or we would both die," Netto mumbled as he leaned onto the very warm boy. "...I...I like being a Net-saver. I got to save the world, fight powerful enemy...make friends with different people but." He clenched his jaws. "Bit it...it really sucked sometimes. Like...like staying up all night in boring talk...not having time to hang out with my friends and...and sometimes...people die."

Partha hugged Netto closer, letting the oldest boy leaned on his shoulder.

After some time, Netto began to talk again. "The cyber-world had an Alpha version. But the alpha got crazy for some reason and had to seal it."

Partha made a sound of disgust. "Why does the previous generation have this weird fascination with locking problems away for the rookies to deal with." he huffed.

Netto shrugged. "Rockman...Saito...we were both there in the cyber-world, in Alpha." he shuddered, remembering the horrible feeling of walking of pseudo-flesh of Alpha, inside his big brother. Completely missing the look of utter surprise on Partha's face. "We...We defeated it...but...Alpha almost ate me." he shuddered again.

"Saito...Saito...He." Netto couldn't finish his phrase, the terrible feeling of disconnection from his twin still too raw for him.

No... not disconnected, once again, Rockman's presence, Saito's link was always there, but it went dormant...

"He almost died saving me...he was...I thought he had died..." Netto tried to keep his tears to himself.

"And then?" Partha asked as Bhuta came back in from his shower, his frail body wrapped in nothing by a very colourful towel.

"And then...when we were in the Net together, we found the personal data of...of grandpa." A slight smile light Netto's lips, his Grandpapa looked like Santa... he seemed to be a very kind man too. "He...He had a message for papa to decode." Netto paused as he watched Bhuta redress...

The reason why he stared with interest was twofold. One...he was really frail and white, even if he ate more the Parta, Priya and himself. And his Ghost-like friend was changing in his usual dhoti and wrapper without exposing anything.

Netto had tried...but it took forever, and there was no way he would ask his Mama for a dhoti. As cool as those pants were, the risk of Dekao pulling them off was very real.

...actually, now that he had other friends, Netto had to wonder why he was still hanging out with the older teen.

"Park-" Bhuteshvara began, and Netto could just hear the warning edge in his voice.

"Sorry..."

"Yeah, ok. But what happened after that?" Partha prodded. "what was the message?" he asked impatiently.

"Grandad's message...it was about were Saito's original Data was. It was hidden in a place were Alpha had no access to." Netto related. "It took papa some time to decode it...but in the end." He smiled sadly. "Saito...Rockman was back." SDespitehis best attempt at keeping them in, some sobs escaped and two pairs of arms wrapped around him.

Both brothers let their friends cry for a bit, soon joined by their sisters as they stood by Bhuta's door.

Finally, his hiccups stopped. He felt safe...he felt...surrounded by friends who would not call him weak for crying over a Navi.

Over his dead brother...

Bhuta gave Netto a wet hanker chief, and the young boy cleaned his face. After that, Lavanga walked in with a glass of freshwater...with a Tulasi Manjari this time.

Netto gingerly sipped it. It was cool, and...he was thirsty. Eventually, he spoke again, unable to keep this heavy secret anymore.

"Papa...He told me...he told me Rockman was unstable...that he could..." he could not finish his phrase; he felt his tears well up again. He felt the arms of Bhuta and Partha squeeze him comfortingly.

"It's alright, Netto, were here. Well, save him." Partha-Sharati assured his friend. "Nothing impossible for us Vaishnavas, especially if Bubu's around." he grinned, showing off some fangs.

"Parata! That's not true!" Bhuta protested. "You the one who gives all success."

"No, I'm not...it's our saintly sister!" The fiery red boy gestured to the said sister, who blushed and did their best to deny their sanctity by praising their father and mother...and the Lord of, course, as if they had five mouths.

This escalated until Hari-Priya began to wrestle with Partha-sharathi in his shared room. Unwilling to have Netto being caught in the cross-fire of his mother's wrath. (wrestling was to happen outside the house lest there was a storm.) Bhuta dragged Netto out of his room as Lavanga grabbed their sacred Pet Rock.

Since yes... they had a Rock from a hill called Govardhana, and Bhuta and Lavanga were the ones taking care of Giri-Raja.

"Sorry, Netto-Prabhu. Hari and Part...they love to fight." Bhuteshvara apologized.

"Yeah, I noticed," Netto mumbled as he entered the bathroom. He wanted to pee...and shower. "Say...what time is it?" he asked.

"It's seven-thirty...I think you missed roll-call." Lavanga informed the boy who, for a moment, felt fear.

And then...he realized that he didn't really want to go to school...he didn't want to tell his other friends about what happened to Rockman again, and he didn't want to hear the dreaded 'you just need to get a new Navi...

Enzen could deal with them...

He went to the bathroom and washed up, and once he was done, he exited the room to find a fresh set of cloth...his cloth. _'oh...someone must've gone home to get them.'_ he had no idea who it was, but whoever it was, he had his sincere thanks. Then following his nose and stomach, he went down to the living room. There, he saw Moiya, dressed in a red Sari...and only a red sari with nothing on the top. In her arms were two bundles of joy, both of them sleeping.

Moiya noticed Netto and send a warm, motherly smile at him as she readjusted her opulent red sari. "Ah, Netto-Prabhu. Glad to see you awake. How did you sleep?" she asked as she handed Prometheus her two bundles of love. Rising to greet him.

Now without the two babies in her belly, it was clear she was a slim woman, in the waist area, that is...despite the extra...crepe-like skin and fat that hung from her belly...she also had an outer button.

For his part, Prometheus was more than a little pleased to hold the two newborns. He was glowing with love and bliss...and the super-grateful smile he sent Netto was not lost to the hero.

"I slept OK; I had a weird dream, though." He admitted.

Moiya's face fell. "oh no...I'm so sorry, Netto-Prabhu. I..."

"Hmm? Oh, no. It wasn't about you just...just this Navi who has Saito now. I dreamt he was dating my Mama and all that." Netto spoke, dismissing this concept entirely.

Forte had...he had been at the right place at the right time, and he now had Saito in his grip.

Suddenly. Netto realized he was now the centre of attention again.

"Ah.."

"And who is Saito?" She asked.

"Saito... that's Rockman," Netto revealed... this secret now out to an adult. An adult he only knew for a bit more than a week. "And... Saito was... is my dead twin also."

There was a moment of stunned silence.

Moiya took Netto's hand and made him sit in front of her. "Please, Netto-Prabhu," Moiya asked, exuding the same presence of General craft and his Mama. "Tell us everything you know about the disappearance of your Brother." She asked as she kneeled in front of the boy, her eyes not leaving his."And Forte...spare no details."

Now that Netto could see her close, he could see that those were not human eyes.

Humans didn't have mother-board etching in their eyes.

* * *

"...And that's what I know." Haruka finished. Addressing her friend.

She was curled up in a new sofa from a new pent-house in downtown Dedene...the home of her friend.

The independent Navi had bought everything online...just so he could talk to his new friend n a place less public than an internet cafe .and had even paid an interior designer to make the place as cozy as possible...without sacrificing for style and elegance.

Haruka had told him that it was way too much for a place where both could speak. There was a spa-worthy bathroom, a kitchen... even though Lumine would _always_ Order something online. And Haruka also knew there was a hot tub in the back so she may relax.

It was extremely thoughtful of Lumine...especially considering his background.

The Lavander-haired Navi hummed as their elegantly crossed their knee's, rubbing their chin. "I...see. And this happened after the terrorist strike." The elegant and angelic Navi Murmured. "It is quite unfortunate for Rockman...but I doubt our latest Problem had anything to do with his...flashback, reversal?"

"General craft called it a Spontaneous hard reset." She gently corrected the independent Navi.

An indescribable look crossed Lumine's flawless features. "Hmm... I see."

"And...what about the terrorist cell?" Haruka asked. Ready and willing to go on a warpath so that her son could remain a child a little while longer.

At eleven, her Netto had already lived and seen too much. It was a wonder he was still this optimistic about life.

Lumine waved a hand aloft. "Oh, I wouldn't worry about them. Another friend of mine had already caught Their leader And after combing through their numerous computer and server...well, I'll let the FBI and Interpol have fun with them, I can always watch the firework later." The lavender Navi smirked.

Haruka let out a sigh... a piece of good news after the terrible event.

And yet...all was not as good as the mother of 'two' would've liked.

"Lumine...so you really have no idea of what could've happened to my son... to my Son's Navi?" She asked, sipping from some high-grade herbal tea. Letting the warm and frequent drink soothe her nerve.

She knew Rockman was not Saito, despite the same eyes. But could one blame a grieving mother for latching onto a child-like being?

Rockman looked and sounded like she would imagine Saito; he was also the same 'age' her oldest would be, had he lived long enough.

And she was... she didn't know what would happen to him, but it was clear that this SHD was serious enough for the cyborg to give her the number for the child councillor...again.

Unfortunately... if Netto were to see this particular man, then her credit debt would grow more than what she could deal with.

She had to choose between the mental well-being of her child, his continued education or having enough food to feed him. And No, looking for a full-time job was not an option since she had to drop out of university after falling pregnant with twins...

And while Yuuciro's paycheck was not to sneeze at... Taxes, bills and a plethora of other things kept draining her funds.

She barely had enough to spoil her son sometimes. And this particular councillor was... well beyond her mean.

The only thing she could realistically do for her son was to be there for him whenever possible, shower him with as much love she could and listen to him when nightmares... and hide her feeling of being a worthless mother the best she could as she learned how to net battle and not be as useless as she felt.

The dark blue and purple Navi smiled at the filial connection. But this smile didn't remain for long." No...this is completely unheard of in the net; I will try asking some of my friends about this, but... don't expect anything, my dear." Lumine admitted.

"I see." Haruka had hopped the Navi would've known more, for it seemed Lumine had many contacts and... Oh, she had never been good with technology, only her husband seemed to know how to use it.

He had tried to teach her but...she was never on the level he wanted.

"Haruka dear?" Lumine asked. "You...is everything alright?" the independent Navi asked his human friend.

"No...No, Lumine, nothing alright." She sat back on the couch, Lumine had made the penthouse a little paradise for Haruka, a place were she could relax away from her adulterous husband, her son's life-threatening adventure and...and this was were she would train with Lumine and Serenade in Virus busting, Hacking and counter-terrorism.

The last time...during the Alpha incident, her husband had proven to be as impotent as he was in bed. Letting her baby son face an abomination...

Rockman didn't come back, and Netto...should not have survived. He had to be isolated for a week and take iodine pills until the Geiger counter stopped screaming each time he walked close to one.

The doctors had been baffled...

Her only surviving son...was too resilient for his own good.

So far... Haruka had lost two sons... One was barely a toddler when his heart failed, and the other was eaten by the alpha-net.

It was then that Haruka had sworn to whatever power was there that she would never let her remaining son face this type of danger ever again.

As she empties the content of her heart to a Navi she had randomly met on Facebook, Lumine nodded and listened to her making sure there are human friends knew that she was safe and that they, the Natural Cyber-fae, would do everything in their power to find Rockman and save him from Forte's grip.

"Thank you...thank you, Lumine. You...I expected you to be another creep on the net, you know." Haruka whipped her tears. "I never expected you to be...to be such an exceptional friend." she praised. Causing the elegant Navi to avert their eyes.

"Please, Haruka, you know full well what I was planning with you." They shamefully reminded the fearless woman in the earth-based world.

Haruka nodded. "Yes...but how bad can someone be if all it took was for me to show you some family pictures?" She gave her friend a bright smile, which caused Lumine to blush.

"It takes an exceptional woman of great integrity and character to sway a would be murdered with a bunch of family picture and the love she had for both sons," Lumine admitted. "Please, Haru-chan, stay here and rest. You've been running yourself ragged during those last few days." the purple Navi spoke gently as he closed the blinds and lowered the light.

She curled on the couch, taking the surprisingly warm throw blanket Lumine had gotten just for her. As she drifted off, her mind reminded her of where Netto would probably be.

At first, she disliked the Family because they were a part of a cult... and who would worship god nowadays? But After meeting Moiya and her Husband, Haruka knew she had another ally to keep her last baby safe... As weird and incomprehensible as they were.

She just needed to keep the whole 'don't speak to our weird neighbours' charade up for a bit longer...just to make sure Netto was well and truly ingrained in the immigrant's family.

* * *

After Breakfast, once again a vegetarian feast of filling, nutritious and delicious food, Netto explained to all who Forte was and how this independent Navi was extremely powerful and short of Saito...Rockman, any other Navy was just spare Data for his to consume.

The whole family had taken note of it, thanking Netto for the fair warning.

He had also asked them how exactly they would save Saito without the assistance of NetNavies.

To this, the Family of Vaishnava's had explained that...they didn't need Navi's.

Since that's what they were in the first place.

"So you... you are not human?" Netto...didn't quite blurt out. But it was clear that this new development had taken him by complete surprise.

Ekachakra shook his head. "No, we are humans, but of a different type." He began to explain. "You see Netto, in our holy scriptures, it is said that there are eight billion's four thousand different forms of bodies or species in this universe. And out of those, four thousand are in the human categories. Meaning hairless biped with an opposable thumb that walks on their toes and heels... except monkeys, since they are also considered humans by the Vedas."

Netto awed and nodded. This was probably the most technical description of a human he had heard.

"and, Cyber-faes are among this categories. We are humans...Just more powerful. And we can go into the net,...either through television or by ...phasing in." Moiya explained as she moved her hands. "I don't need to tell you to keep it a secret since envious 'vanilla' humans can't take to have a 'race' above them in power and abilities."

Netto nodded. While he may hate history with a passion, the one he had picked up was how most wars started over one race having better stuff than the creamlander and other civilization.

"Good." Moiya gave a kind smile. "You're a good boy Netto. And we considered you and your brother a part of our family." The blond Cyber-fae went and hugged Netto, kissing the top of his head and eliciting a warm fuzzy feeling in his heart. "Meaning we will do everything in our power to retrieve him."

He thought those feeling were meant for him mom and his mom alone, but Moiya was now better than his mother at the moment.

She didn't run off to meet friends Netto never heard about, not coming back to cook breakfast and not even telling her son were she was.

Not... Netto was not worried about his Mama...not at all...

He was _extremely_ worried about his Mama. His mama should not be with strange people; she should not stay all nights out, coming back exhausted and tired.

"Netto?" Moiya asked, feeling his anxiety. He was sure she could do that she was a mom and...you know...magical and all that.

"Mama...my Mama's not back."

"I know, sweetheart. She contacted me a bit earlier; she's with a friend right now...I friend I happen to know." She revealed. "It's another Cyber-fae. Now come, let's pray to Gaura-Nitai for permission to save your big brother, shall we?" She asked as she led him to the family's Altar, Gaura-Nitai, dressed in gold and blue, and they wore garlands of dandelion and other fragrant flowers.

Moiya knelled in front, bowed down and began to pray. Netto emulated the action...and soon enough, everyone had their head...or whole body to the ground. Getting up, they began to pray.

In the week that Rockman and Netto had befriended the Vaishnava Family, they had been taught how to pray. Technically, one could ask the Lord anything and everything, and the Lord would arrange. But...He was the one with the last word.

God knew past, present and future, and He, being the best friend of all, also knew what would be the best. Like how Netto's Mama knew it was best for him to eat his green and not just the meat. And how eating too many sweets would lead to cavity and stomach ache.

It was the same thing with the Lord...but he would still listen, and knowing what his living entity wanted for real, he would arrange for them accordingly.

At this point...he had nothing else to lose.

And thus Netto prayed as Ekachakra had shown him, whit palms folded and with sincerity.

' _hey...God? Netto here. I'm...I'm not really sure if you will listen to me since... it's my first time and all, but. I heard you can do the impossible...and that you like to protect your devotees.'_

' _You protect Prahlad from his evil father, and you also protected your friends for numerous demons...'_ He paused, realizing that all of those were already devotees.

' _Krishna...Gaura-Nitai just...just save my brother...I'll do whatever you want as long as my Brother and mama are safe.'_ Despite himself, some tears fell from his eyes.

The family got up, Ekachakra patting Netto on the back, smiling at him with a love and affection Netto only thought his mama could give him. His Green eyes unnaturally bright with a very slight X shaped marking that decorate them; they were warm, filled with affection.

As the young boy had learned, papas could be as affectionate as mamas, even if they were not always there.

"Alright." He got to his feet. "Prometheus, you come with me, Bhuta, Lavanga, Partha-Sharathi. You stay here with Moiya, Pandora, Croire and Netto in case something happens." His kids gave a salute, and Prometheus went to the couch and pulled out a stick.

"Ah! Pappu, please don't activate your scythe in the house!" Moiya warned her adopted son.

"Yes, mother." He inclined his head and...tapped the middle of his chest.

There was a flash of light. And the next thing Netto knew, a NetNavi was standing in the middle of the living room.

He had a tall helmet that resembled a skull. Long, darkish purple Navi-hair flowed from it, almost touching the floor. His Navi skin was black, and the insignia in the middle was a stylized eye...and it was slashed like Forte, but unlike the single, diagonal cut, it was X shaped.

He wore a pair of dark red pants, like Serenade...and his red eyes were but mere pinpricks, giving him an almost ghoulish appearance.

Netto starred...he remembered hearing a Navi that fitted the description.

Actual, he had not been alone...a blue, angel-like Navi had been with them...

Netto thought those were just some rogue game programs, but now... there he was, the reaper.

Moiya walked close to her adopted son, who kneeled in front of her, touching her feet. Then, touching different parts of his body with an ornamented wooden stick, the Vaishnavi began to sing an ancient chant of protection.

Once that was done, she lifted her adopted son off the ground and embraced him, blessing him with good health and success. Then...he climbed the little piece of furniture under the smart-TV and entered it like one climbed in a window.

Netto openly stared.

"Yeah...We can all do that." Partha lazily stated as he leaned onto Netto's shoulder. "But dad won't let us do dangerous missions yet, just errands and things like that." Then he grinned. "Yesterday, we got caught up in a cyber attack... It was so fun." He whispered.

It was clear he would not mind another such event in the near future.

Then Mister Eka went in the middle of the living room, stretched a bit and tapped his hidden emblem twice.

"Reboot!"

Once again, light filled the room...and in the middle stood a blue Navi that resembled Rockman...but different.

He was as blue as the open sky; a red gem shone on his blue helmet, right under a halo. And a pair of majestic angel wings hung from his back. He wore the same types of pants Prometheus wore but white. His emblem was an X; the same emblem shone in his kind and benevolent eyes. He turned to his wife.

"So...Did I killed a lamp?" He asked humorously. To which, Moiya gave an annoyed huffed that his a chuckle.

"No...no dead lamp this time. We made sure nothing would get into your wingspan again." She crossed her arms, a slight smirk on her face.

"Great...we should be back before you know it," Ekachakra assured his wife.

"Meaning?" She asked with a tilt of her head.

"meaning when either Pro and I find Saito and Forte and rescue our sixth son...or were forced to come back-"

"because you're too injured to continued." Moiya finished as she crossed her arms and tapped her feet on the ground, making her ankle bell sing. "Prabhu...that's my shtick. Not yours...and definitely not our son."

"But as Kshatriyas, our duty is to fight for those who can't or to the death."

"Please...you're a Vaishnava, not a Kshatriya." Moiya argued back. " a Kshatriya may die in battle and go to swarga, but I would rather you return home like a 'coward' and get ready for Goloka...same for you Pappu." she addressed the reaper, who was still waiting in the TV.

He gave her a salute, putting a fist to his chest and bowing. "Yes, mother, I will."

"Alright...time to go then," Eka stated as he went to the TV, only to be stopped and hugged by his four children...and then by his wife.

And after that, he somewhat managed to enter the TV, despite his amazing wingspan, scratching the top and bottom parts.

' _Oh...so that's how the TV got scratched.'_ This...somehow made sense.

After her husband and son were gone, Moiya went to the altar and began to pray again. And then...Croire began to cry, which caused Pandora to become fussy.

Moiya sighed as she went to calm her two newborns. "Alright...everyone, please go get your exercise books and work from there...I'll be there if you need me...I just don't know how good of a teacher I can be at the moment, though. You too, Netto-Prabhu."

Netto pulled a face. Then he felt Bhuta's hands on his shoulder. "It's alright, Netto; I'll help you out." He assured the somewhat older boy. "Don't worry about Saito; He's in Krishna's hands right now."

Netto was about to reply how he was in Forte's claws when he realized that even Forte could not face Krishna. Sure he may be a powerful Navi, but Krishna was God.

And nothing was impossible for him.

Besides, Forte never lifted a mountain for seven days and nights as if it weighed nothing.

Knowing there was nothing more he could do...and that his useless homework awaited, the Navi-less fetched his school books and sat beside Partha and Bhuta...

In the end, he was too distracted to focus, but he still managed to finish his work despite his wandering mind. Usually, Netto would rush out and find a way to save the situation; he could not stay in one place and let useless adults mess things up more...

Now, he could not help but think that staying with Moiya and letting Pappu and Eka deal with Forte would be what Saito would want him to do.

And thus, in Saito's honour, he would.

* * *

Six happily tottered beside his Papa. Sure, he was scary. And Six had no idea where he was. But His papa was there, so why should he be scared, right?

His papa had given his cloak like him and had even wrapped it around six, saying how one should not go out naked.

Papa was right; he felt better in his coat.

They were flying through cyberspace at high speed. They were in a place were everything was broken and old...forgotten and somewhat deleted, Papa had called it Uranet. The place where abandoned Navi lurked.

It was a very dangerous place... filled with big Viruses and crazy Navis.

But Six knew his Papa was stronger than all of them combined. He was the Herald of darkness, after all.

No...he had no idea what a herald was...but his Papa was dark...like, his bodysuit was black and purple.

Oh...and he also had no idea where his Papa was taking him. But he seemed worried.

Like...like he was running away from someone.

Why was his papa running away from someone meant that this someone was more powerful than his papa...but his papa didn't have to worry, Six was strong too, and he would protect his papa!

But...he would still like to know where they were going. "Papa, where are we going?"

"Another safe place...it's further in cyberspace," he said as he dragged his son behind him. "Are you tired?" he asked.

"Um...a bit, but...that's normal, right?" he asked. He had always been a bit sleepy.

Forte stopped and gathered Six in his arms. And words departed.

"Papa?" he asked again. " will you bring me were mama is?" Six asked. He missed his mama...a lot.

Forte remained silent.

"Papa?"

"I...will try," he admits.

"Huh?"

"Papa...Papa may be very strong, Roku...but he can't go to the real world yet." His papa admitted, shocking Six to no end.

"Huh? Why?"

"Because Papa's a Navi..."

"Why?"

"Huh..."Oh, it seemed he had stumped his papa.

Roku remained quiet in the arms of his Papa, mulling things over.

"Papa... when will you be able to go there?" he asked.

"Soon."

"To see mama?" Six asked innocently.

"Y...Yes..."

Six smiled...he would see his mama again.

* * *

In the privacy of his mind, Forte was freaking out.

Gospel, his ever-loyal pet, had warned his master that a pair of hyper-powerful independent Navis were searching for him and Roku.

This was not good...oh, he could just wait for those fools and delete them...but with Roku around?

It would scare him...he would be afraid and..., and he could run away and get lost and...

' _what the hell's happening to me?'_ He wondered as he followed a hidden pathway to another private domain.

He had to toughen up Roku... but at the same time, he was so innocent, it may... it may turn him off from his true destiny.

Nevertheless, He had to reach Gospel turf; the most powerful of bugs own him. And it was Forte's most secure safe-house.

Forte would always drop off some bug fragment to the beast...and scratch his belly sometimes...

Which meant every time he would see him.

Oh, Gospel was still the most terrifying and awesome virus out there...he just like Forte for some reason, nothing wrong with that. _'I just hope Roku won't panic when he sees him.'_

There was also the fact that Roku wanted his very human, very real mama...

Now, it was clear the SHR was not as thorough as he had once thought, for Roku still remembered some of his past but...

His past implied that he used to be a human...

A human... with a human mom and a brother.

Used to be a human...

Forte had tried to get more information out from his impromptu son...without much success. What Roku remembered was fragmented at best and completely gone at worst.

' _Well...at least he doesn't remember me. That would be awful.'_ With how Forte had acted with him, the taunt, the treat, the murder attempt...

His vow to kill humanity.

' _Nah... humans have to go...but, maybe I could try and find this woman and...keep her as a pet for Roku.'_ It was a terrible plan, he knew.

But...there _were_ some OK humans here and there...those...didn't have to die.

Maybe.

Finally, Forte arrived in a place that was overrun by nasty looking bugs and the worst of viruses. This was Gospel's territory.

He smirked...it felt like coming home.

"P...papa?"

"Don't worry, Roku were just gonna meet a good friend of Papa." Forte tried to soothe his little one's fear. "He's not a Navi tough...and you'll need to promise me that you will behave."

"Papa...is he...is he a gh...ghost?" Roku began to shake with very real fear.

Forte paused his flight... Roku was scared of ghosts... _Note to self,_ _unlock_ _his true power and have him face an army of ghosties. That oughta get that fear out of his system.'_ "No, Roku, it's the most powerful Bug in the entire network." He spoke aloud with pride. "He's friendly enough..."

To him.

He landed in front of a huge cave-like structure. The inside was dark, and he could hear a growl from Gospel.

"Oi! Bug bag, it's me!" He yelled at the cyber-wolf. "I'm with a young friend, so pipe it down!"

Hearing the voice of his master, Gospel began silent, and Forte entered the cave with his quaking son.

What could go wrong?


End file.
